Parental Conflict Research Articles

Family structure and women’s mental well-being: how family stressors explain mental health inequalities between lone and partnered mothers

Lone mothers have been found to report lower average mental health than partnered mothers. Following the ‘stress process model’, disparities in women’s mental health by family structure could be explained by lone mothers’ higher exposure to multiple forms of stressors, compared to partnered mothers. Yet, this hypothesis has not been tested in previous studies. This study analysed four waves of longitudinal data from the Growing Up in Ireland study, spanning between the year when women gave birth (2008) to 9 years later (2017) (N = 5,654 women), to examine how family stressors (i.e., financial strain, caregiving strain, work-related strain, and parental conflict) influence mothers’ depressive symptoms by family structure. Analyses applied random-effects models and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) decomposition techniques, combined with different model specifications as robustness checks (i.e., fixed-effects). Results indicate that: (1) net of sociodemographic factors, lone mothers experience higher levels of depressive symptoms than partnered mothers, with additional analyses confirming that transitioning from partnered to lone mother is associated with higher depressive symptoms, and from lone to partnered mother with reduced depressive symptoms; (2) although 41% of the observed statistical association between family structure and mothers’ depressive symptoms is direct, a larger 59% of this mental health gap is mediated by inequalities between lone and partnered mothers in their exposure to family stressors; and (3) the largest share of the observed mediation by family stressors is explained by lone mothers’ higher risks of current and past caregiving strain and parental conflict, but also by their current higher financial strain. Overall, this study suggests that lone mothers’ lower mental health, compared to partnered mothers, is largely explained by disparities in exposure to family stressors, pointing to how accumulated caregiving and parental stressors, as well as poverty risks, are key explanatory factors behind the mental well-being disadvantage that lone mothers face.

Supporting Children Whose Parents are in Conflict with the Law through the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Honouring the Legacy of Hon. Landon Pearson

Hon. Landon Pearson was a lifelong dedicated advocate for children, both in Canada and abroad. Her contributions to advancing children’s rights in Canada were unparalleled and, notably, included ensuring Canada’s policies and practices were in line with the country’s international commitments through the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). To honour her legacy, we examine how the principle of the best interests of the child ought to be applied when decisions are made within the criminal justice system concerning offenders with parental responsibilities. While it is increasingly understood that parental conflict with the law is a traumatic and developmentally impactful experience for children, the criminal justice process seldom takes steps to mitigate these detrimental impacts. This article discusses the current research on Canadian children whose parents are in conflict with the law, particularly through the lens of Canada’s obligations under the CRC. It provides recommendations for action to standardize considerations for the best interests of the child, as defined by the CRC, into Canadian criminal justice policy.

"I Was Broken and Still Had to Stay Strong. I Cannot Be Weak": Understanding Parental Role Conflicts Following a Premature Birth.

The challenging transition to parenthood affects both mothers and fathers; yet, the strain intensifies with a premature birth in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), underscoring the importance of acknowledging and addressing potential differences in parental roles. This paper aimed to investigate how parental role conflicts among mothers and fathers of preterm-born infants hospitalized in German NICUs manifest and investigated potential parental resources. Twenty-four participants, 17 mothers, and seven fathers of very low birth-weight infants were interviewed. A thematic content analysis was performed at a semantic level. Fathers feel pressured to fulfill the role expectations, often leading to the suppression of paternal feelings and needs. For mothers, deviating from societal expectations regarding their expressive roles can be distressing, as they worry that such deviation might hinder their infants from having a successful start in life. Consulting with healthcare professionals shows to ease challenges for both parental roles. Maternal and paternal challenges are often rooted in expectations placed on their societal roles. Highlighting these challenges can be essential for increasing awareness and effectively addressing them. Tailored nursing practices may have the potential to facilitate individuals' navigation of uncertainties and fulfillment of caregiving roles.

Family conflict and less parental monitoring were associated with greater screen time in early adolescence.

The current study investigated the prospective relationships between parental monitoring, family conflict, and screen time across six screen time modalities in early adolescents in the USA. We utilised prospective cohort data of children (ages 10-14 years) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (years baseline to Year 2 of follow-up; 2016-2020; N = 10 757). Adjusted coefficients (B) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using mixed-effect models with robust standard errors. A higher parental monitoring score was associated with less total screen time (B = -0.37, 95% CI -0.58, -0.16), with the strongest associations being with video games and YouTube videos. Conversely, a higher family conflict score was associated with more total screen time (B = 0.08, 95% CI 0.03, 0.12), with the strongest associations being with YouTube videos, video games, and watching television shows/movies in Years 1 and 2. The current study found that greater parental monitoring was associated with less screen time, while greater family conflict was linked to more screen time. These results may inform strategies to reduce screen time in adolescence, such as improving communication between parents and their children to strengthen family relationships.

Prevalence and correlates of emotion dysregulation among children and adolescents in Lebanon: results from a National Survey

BackgroundData on Emotion Dysregulation among youth in Lebanon is scarce. Given that Emotion Dysregulation is associated with psychopathology and has a negative impact on youth outcomes, there is a need to better understand the prevalence, clinical and demographic correlates of Emotion Dysregulation.MethodsThis study is a secondary analysis of the Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents in Lebanon Study which recruited 1517 youth and one parent from a nationally representative sample. Participants completed The Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Peer Relations Questionnaire, Conflict Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ).Parents completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Dysregulation Profile was used to measure Emotion Dysregulation.ResultsThe prevalence of Emotion Dysregulation was 11.26% among children aged 5 to < 8 years, 9.40% among children aged 8 to < 12 years and 6.60% among those older than 12 years. Emotion Dysregulation was associated with psychopathology across age groups and a number of correlates were identified. In the final regression models, among children aged 5 to < 8 years; Emotion Dysregulation was associated with lower odds of father employment (OR = 0.235;CI[0.078,0.704]). For those aged 8 to < 12 years old, Emotion Dysregulation was associated with acceptable school performance (OR = 2.246,CI[1.209,4.173]) as opposed to a good school performance, having a chronic physical illness (OR = 2.962; CI [1.495,5.867)], and higher parental GHQ scores (OR = 1.034;CI [1.010,10.58)] indicating worse parental mental health. Adolescents aged 12 years and older who screened positive for Emotion Dysregulation were more likely to be younger (OR = 0.688, CI[0.527,0.899]), be a bully (OR = 2.467;CI[1.036,5.875] and to have higher parental CBQ scores (OR = 1.092;CI [1.011,1.180]), indicating worse parent-child conflict. Youth who screened positive for emotion dysregulation were more likely to seek psychiatric care than their counterparts who screen negative for emotion dysregulation.ConclusionAge, school performance, parental mental health, parental conflict, chronic physical illness and bullying emerge as important correlates of Emotion Dysregulation. Findings add to the limited data on Emotion Dysregulation in Lebanon and the region and are a first step towards developing intervention and prevention strategies.

Parental conflict and adolescents' socially adverse emotions: the mediating role of family functioning.

To examine the process of how parental conflict and family functioning influence adolescents' socially adverse emotions (shyness and loneliness). Stratified cluster sampling was used to conduct a questionnaire survey among 1,100 junior high school students from three junior high schools in Beijing, Chongqing, and Shijiazhuang, China. (1) The overall experience of adolescents' socially adverse emotions was at the moderate level; boys' experience of shyness and loneliness was significantly higher than that of girls; the experience of shyness and loneliness in the second grade was significantly higher than that in the first grade; (2) Parental conflict was significantly negatively correlated with family functioning and significantly positively correlated with adolescents' socially adverse emotions, while family functioning was significantly negatively correlated with adolescents' socially adverse emotions; (3) Family functioning partially mediates the relationship between parental conflict and adolescents' shyness and completely mediates the relationship between parental conflict and adolescents' loneliness. Compared to adolescents' shyness, family functioning plays a more important mediating role in the relationship between parental conflict and adolescents' loneliness.

Moderators of the Effects of a Digital Parenting Intervention on Child Conduct and Emotional Problems Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results From a Secondary Analysis of Data From the Supporting Parents and Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE) Randomized Controlled Trial.

A smartphone app, Parent Positive, was developed to help parents manage their children's conduct and emotional problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. A randomized controlled trial, Supporting Parents and Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE), found Parent Positive to be effective in reducing children's emotional problems. However, app effectiveness may be influenced by a range of child, family, socioeconomic, and pandemic-related factors. This study examined whether baseline factors related to the child, family, and socioeconomic status, as well as pandemic-related disruption circumstances, moderated Parent Positive's effects on child conduct and emotional problems at 1- and 2-month follow-up. This study was a secondary exploratory analysis of SPARKLE data. The data set included 646 children (4-10 years of age) with parents randomized to either Parent Positive (n=320) or follow-up as usual (n=326). Candidate baseline moderators included child age, gender, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, parental psychological distress, family conflict, household income, employment status, household overcrowding, and pandemic-related disruption risk (ie, homeschooling, lockdown status, and isolation status). Child conduct and emotional problem outcomes measured at 1- (T2) and 2-months (T3) post randomization were analyzed using linear mixed-effects analysis of covariance models adjusting for baseline (T1) measure of outcome and including intervention and intervention by time point interaction terms allowing for different effects at the 2 time points. Moderation of intervention effects by baseline factors was assessed by replacing the intervention by time interaction terms with intervention by time point by baseline moderator interaction terms. Child gender was a significant moderator of the Parent Positive versus follow-up as usual effect on emotional problems (B=0.72, 95% CI 0.12-1.33; P=.02). Specifically, the effect of Parent Positive was close to significant (T2: B=-0.41, 95% CI -0.82 to 0.0004; P=.05) or significant (T3: B=-0.76, 95% CI -1.22 to -0.30; P<.001) in males only when compared with females, and males experienced a significantly larger reduction in emotional problems than females in the Parent Positive arm at the 2-month post randomization time point. None of the other investigated baseline factors moderated effects on emotional problems, and no factors moderated effects on conduct problems. This study highlights Parent Positive's potential for effectively reducing emotional problems in primary school-aged male children across a wide range of families. However, due to limited variability in the demographic background of the families, cautious interpretation is required, and replications are necessary in diverse samples with longer follow-up times. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04786080; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04786080.

The mediating effects of parental hope and psychological resilience on social support and decision conflict in children with hypospadias

IntroductionThe most common congenital genital abnormality of the urinary system in infants is hypospadias; its frequency is rising to 0.33 percent globally. Surgical reconstruction is the most effective treatment for hypospadias. Parents, as surrogate decision-makers for children, frequently experience decision-making conflicts when making decisions. Stress is neither a straightforward stimulus nor a simple response. However, a stressor (stimulus) caused by life events and influenced by numerous intermediate factors including personality, social support, and psychosomatic symptoms or diseases is a multi-factor process of stress response (response) . The surgical decision conflict of parents of children with hypospadias is a type of stress response, and social support may have an effect on parents' hope, psychological resilience, and decision conflict, with hope and psychological resilience serving as mediators between social support and decision conflict. AimTo investigate the structural relationship between parental social support, hope, psychological resilience, and parents decision conflict in children with hypospadias. Study DesignA cross-sectional design was used to collect the data of 210 parents of children with hypospadias from Department of Urology, Shenzhen Children's Hospital from April 2022 to March 2023. ResultsSocial support indirectly affects decision conflict through hope and psychological resilience, with a total effect of -0.224 (P<0.05), DiscussionDecision conflicts and regret can be reduced if medical professionals provide adequate and clear information, decision assistance, and meet support requirements during the decision-making process. Improving the level of psychological resilience, hope, and social support among parents of children with hypospadias is a crucial strategy for reducing the level of decision conflict they experience. In the process of making surgical decisions for children with hypospadias, the more sufficient social support from relatives, friends, and medical staff can stimulate their hope, boost their belief in the success of surgery, and the greater their psychological resilience, the more effectively decision conflict can be reduced. Some potential limitations of this study should be considered. Firstly, this study was a cross-sectional survey design. It may have some limitations in providing causal relationships between selected variables. Second, the survey investigated only one hospital, which reduces the generalizability of the findings. ConclusionThe data support the proposed model and confirm the structural relationship among the four study variables. This study provides new information on the mediating role of hope and psychological resilience between social support and decision-making conflict.

Improving Parent–Adolescent Conversation to Promote Adolescent Sleep Health Behavior Change: An Open Trial of the Parent Behavior Change Intervention

The Parent Behavior Change Intervention (PBC-I) was developed to target parent–adolescent conversations that promote adolescent health behavior change. We report on an open trial of the PBC-I. Participants were 36 parent–adolescent dyads. Adolescents received the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C) as parents received the PBC-I. Dyads were assessed at pre- and postintervention for parent use of behavior change techniques (BCT) and positive and negative conversational behaviors, parent–adolescent conflict, adolescent motivation for change, and adolescent sleep outcomes. From pre to post, parents used fewer total and types of BCTs, more positive communication behaviors, and less negative communication behaviors when discussing a sleep-related hot topic. From pre to post, parents reported decreased coercion and less anger intensity, while adolescents reported fewer parental conflict behaviors and less quantity and anger intensity during parent–adolescent disagreement. There was a pre-to-post increase in interest/enjoyment of sleep and a decrease in effort/importance to participate in TranS-C. More positive and less negative communication was associated with select adolescent sleep outcomes. Parents rated the PBC-I as highly acceptable and perceived it as useful. These results provide preliminary evidence that supports the PBC-I in improving the parent–adolescent interpersonal process, which is linked to improved adolescent sleep. The results may be relevant to conversations parents have with adolescents about a range of health behavior changes.

Perceived Parenting Styles, Emotional Intelligence and Conflict Resolution Styles among Young Adults

Purpose: Parenting styles greatly influence the development of emotional intelligence and conflict resolution styles among young adults since the very early years of their lives. The understanding how parenting styles and emotional intelligence impact conflict resolution styles of young adults has become progressively urgent. The existing study purposes to inspect the relationship between perceived parenting styles, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution styles among young adults. The practical implication of this research will provide the future generations in better upbringing of their children that possess high levels of emotional intelligence. Methodology: The study was carried out in a single phase. The study was quantitative, and it was conducted to assess the perceived parenting styles by young adults including assessing their emotional intelligence and identifying their conflict resolution style. The sample of the study was 280 (M=140, F=140) recruited from different universities in Islamabad, Pakistan. Three scales were used for assessment: The Perceived Parenting Styles Scale (PPSC), The Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) and the Conflict Resolution Styles Inventory (CRSI). Findings: The authoritative parenting style positively correlated with emotional intelligence (r = .47, p &lt; .01) and positive problem-solving (r = .17, p &lt; .01), while negatively relating to conflict engagement (r = -.31, p &lt; .01) and self-protection (r = -.26, p &lt; .01). In contrast, authoritarian and permissive styles were negatively related to emotional intelligence (r = -.13 and r = -.19, respectively) and positively associated with conflict engagement. Males scored higher on emotional intelligence (M = 121.96, SD = 13.73) than females (M = 118.35, SD = 15.87), and PhD students exhibited higher conflict resolution scores than Master's and undergraduate students. These findings highlight the impact of parenting styles on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution skills among young adults. Unique Contributions to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study is guided by The Social Learning Theory by Bandura (1977) sets that young adults copy ways of behaving gained from their childhood, particularly from their parents. Parenting styles perceived during childhood and adolescence could impact how people approach conflicts and social interactions. Another theory which backs this study is Emotional Intelligence theory by Daniel Goleman suggests that individuals consist of a bunch of skills and abilities that would help them in recognizing, understanding and managing their own self emotions as well as emotions of other people. The study recommends that research be conducted in other demographic regions or on a broader level. The study also recommends that other variables such as personality traits and changes over tine should be considered as well for better outcomes.

Identification and analysis of imprinted genes in wild strawberry uncover a regulatory pathway in endosperm development.

Fertilization is a fundamental process that triggers seed and fruit development, but the molecular mechanisms underlying fertilization-induced seed development are poorly understood. Previous research has established AGamous-Like62 (AGL62) activation and auxin biosynthesis in the endosperm as key events following fertilization in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca). To test the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms are critical in mediating the effect of fertilization on the activation of AGL62 and auxin biosynthesis in the endosperm, we first identified and analyzed imprinted genes from the endosperm of wild strawberry. We isolated endosperm tissues from F1 seeds of two wild strawberry Fragaria vesca subspecies, generated endosperm-enriched transcriptomes, and identified candidate Maternally-Expressed and Paternally-Expressed Genes (MEGs and PEGs). Through bioinformatic analyses, we identified four imprinted genes that may be involved in regulating the expression of FveAGL62 and auxin biosynthesis genes. We conducted functional analysis of a maternally expressed gene FveMYB98 through CRISPR-knockout and overexpression in transgenic strawberry as well as analysis in heterologous systems. FveMYB98 directly repressed FveAGL62 at stage 3 endosperm, which likely serves to limit auxin synthesis and endosperm proliferation. These results provide an inroad into the regulation of early stage seed development by imprinted genes in strawberry, suggest potential function of imprinted genes in parental conflict, and identify FveMYB98 as a regulator of a key transition point in endosperm development.

Parental marital conflict and emotional needs in marriage and love of female college students

Parental marital conflict and emotional needs in marriage and love of female college students

The effect of perceived parental conflict on middle school students' social anxiety: The role of self‐compassion and shame

AbstractThis study explores the relationship between perceived parental conflict, self‐compassion, shame, and social anxiety and its internal mechanisms through two studies. Study 1 took 612 middle school students (285 women, 327 men, M = 14.18 years, SD = 1.72) as participants, and the Children's Perception of Interparental Conflict Scale, Self‐compassion scale (SCS), shame scale (SS), and Social Anxiety Scale were used for testing. The results showed that perceived parental conflict was significantly correlated with self‐compassion, shame, and social anxiety. Perceived parental conflict affects middle school students' social anxiety through feelings of self‐compassion and shame. In study 2, 106 middle school students (76 women, 30 men, M = 15.47 years, SD = 0.62) were randomly assigned to the self‐compassion group and control group, and students were asked to complete different literacy tasks, and then fill out the SCS, SS and adolescent social anxiety scale in turn. The results found that in the context of parental conflict, inducing the self‐compassion of middle school students can reduce the level of shame and social anxiety. The introduction of the concept of self‐compassion into the field of middle school students' mental health reveals the function of self‐compassion. It expands the relevant research on the intermediary role of self‐compassion, and also provides innovative ideas for the future research of mental health education in primary and secondary schools.

Is Childhood Adversity Before Age 5 Associated with Adolescent and Young Adult Substance Use? Findings from a U.S. Prospective Cohort Study

Objective Growing research suggests that adversity experienced early in life can affect young children’s development, with implications for health-related outcomes years later. This study explored long-term associations between early life adversity before age 5 (ELA) and later substance use outcomes, and racial and ethnic differences in associations. Method Data are from children born 1984–2000 to female participants in the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Youth-1979 cohort (N = 4582 children nested within 2683 mothers, with 1.4–1.8 outcome observations on average for each child in each age period). ELA at ages 0–4 was measured through home observations and maternal surveys, and included high parental conflict and maternal hazardous drinking/drug use (threat-related exposures), and low cognitive stimulation, low emotional support, and household poverty (deprivation-related exposures). Alcohol and cannabis use frequency were measured in biennial adolescent and young adult surveys through 2016. Analyses involved multilevel regression and interactions accounting for demographics, birth cohort, and family history of alcoholism. Results ELA-threat exposure was associated with greater alcohol and cannabis use frequency in mid-adolescence and at ages 22–25 and 26–32 [exp( β ^ )’s = 1.05 to 1.13, p’s < 0.05]. Associations of ELA-deprivation with substance use were either null or negative. There were pronounced racial and ethnic inequities in ELA exposure but no evidence of racial and ethnic differences in associations between ELA and later substance use. Conclusions Broadening substance use research to focus on early childhood conditions appears warranted. Studies that identify intervening pathways to outcomes could inform early, targeted substance use prevention. Efforts are needed to eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in early life conditions.

Adolescent mindfulness may buffer the longitudinal effect of parental work-family conflict and interparental conflict on adolescent affiliation with deviant peers

Parental work-family conflict undermines family functioning, which in turn may impair children’s peer functioning. Using a longitudinal design spanning across 2 years, the present study examined whether paternal/maternal work-family conflict could predict interparental conflict and, in turn, whether such conflict contributed to adolescent affiliation with deviant peers. Additionally, this study also explored the moderating role of adolescent mindfulness on these relationships. As part of a large longitudinal project, 1427 adolescents (773 boys and 654 girls; aged from 12 to 15 years, M = 12.66 years, SD = 0.63) completed questionnaires regarding perceived interparental conflict, deviant peer affiliation, and mindfulness, and both parents reported on questionnaires regarding their own work-family conflict at three-time points with 1-year intervals. Results indicated that paternal but not maternal work-family conflict positively predicted interparental conflict, which was further positively predictive of deviant peer affiliation for adolescents with low but not high mindfulness. Our study revealed the role of paternal work-family conflict as a seemingly distal but relatively proximal risk factor for adolescents’ affiliation with deviant peers, as well as the buffering role of mindfulness on the longitudinal relations.

Student’s Perceptions About Parental Disputes and Its Effect on Educational Performance

This descriptive study investigated the influence of parental disputes on the educational accomplishment of their offspring, with a specific emphasis on three primary dimensions: academic performance, study motivation, and attitudes toward education. The data obtained from Ghazi University DG Khan (N= 391) students indicates a significant degree of variability in the views held by these individuals. The data reveals that a substantial proportion of participants agree that disputes between parents have a negative impact on their scholastic accomplishments, as shown by an average rating of 2.52 on a five-point Likert scale Moreover, students have reported that they experience a decrease in motivation (mean= 2.59) and develop a negative attitude towards their academic pursuits (mean= 2.82) due to disputes within their parental relationships. The statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) provides further evidence to support the existence of these variations, demonstrating that there are highly significant differences between groups about all features (p&lt;0.005). The results above underscore the need to provide assistance and implement interventions to effectively mitigate the repercussions of family disagreements on adolescents' educational outcomes and facilitate academic achievement. The study concluded that students' perceptions of parental disputes are closely related to their emotional and psychological well-being, which directly impacts their academic performance. These perceptions, combined with the frequency and intensity of parental conflict, create an environment that can either deter or encourage resilience in children.

Imprinting as Basis for Complex Evolutionary Novelties in Eutherians.

The epigenetic phenomenon of genomic imprinting is puzzling. While epigenetic modifications in general are widely known in most species, genomic imprinting in the animal kingdom is restricted to autosomes of therian mammals, mainly eutherians, and to a lesser extent in marsupials. Imprinting causes monoallelic gene expression. It represents functional haploidy of certain alleles while bearing the evolutionary cost of diploidization, which is the need of a complex cellular architecture and the danger of producing aneuploid cells by mitotic and meiotic errors. The parent-of-origin gene expression has stressed many theories. Most prominent theories, such as the kinship (parental conflict) hypothesis for maternally versus paternally derived alleles, explain only partial aspects of imprinting. The implementation of single-cell transcriptome analyses and epigenetic research allowed detailed study of monoallelic expression in a spatial and temporal manner and demonstrated a broader but much more complex and differentiated picture of imprinting. In this review, we summarize all these aspects but argue that imprinting is a functional haploidy that not only allows a better gene dosage control of critical genes but also increased cellular diversity and plasticity. Furthermore, we propose that only the occurrence of allele-specific gene regulation mechanisms allows the appearance of evolutionary novelties such as the placenta and the evolutionary expansion of the eutherian brain.

Parental Involvement in School and Teachers’ Affective Commitment: The Role of Political Skills

ABSTRACT This study explored how two types of parental involvement, collaboration and conflict, related to teachers’ commitment to their school. As political skills involve understanding others at work and using that knowledge to influence in ways that serve personal or organizational objectives, we proposed that these skills act as a resilience factor for teachers in challenging interactions with parents. The research involved a questionnaire administered to 296 teachers. The results support the hypothesis of a connection between parental involvement and teachers’ commitment. Moreover, teachers with strong political skills experienced less impact on their commitment when facing problematic relationships with parents.

The association between online learning, perceived parental relationship, anxiety, and depression symptoms among secondary school students: insight from symptom network and cross-lagged panel network approach

IntroductionAnxiety and depression often co-occur in adolescents, with factors from family and school playing a significant role in the comorbidity. However, network analysis has not examined and clarified the detailed bridge and central symptoms of this comorbidity caused by online learning and perceived parental relationships across different COVID-19 times.MethodsOver four months, 2,356 secondary school students completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7. Participants were divided into harmonious and disharmonious groups based on their answers to a question about parental conflicts.ResultsThe results indicated that adolescents perceiving more parental conflicts showed a denser comorbidity network after four months of online learning. Significant bridge symptoms decreased from three to two across two waves in the harmonious group, while in the disharmonious group, they increased from two to three. The number of central symptoms increased from one in wave 1 to three in wave 2 for the harmonious group, while four in wave 1 decreased to two in wave 2 for the disharmonious group. Furthermore, the CLPN analysis revealed that the strongest positive cross-lagged edge intensity between symptoms was anhedonia—energy in the harmonious group, with anhedonia being the most trigger symptom. In contrast, for the disharmonious group, guilt—suicide and trouble relaxing—excessive worry were the strongest cross-lagged edge, and trouble relaxing was the most trigger symptom.ConclusionThese findings may have implications for interventions designed to promote adolescent mental health in the context of online learning and parental conflicts.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among urban school adolescents in Vietnam: The role of youth, family, and school relationships

BackgroundAdolescents frequently encounter a spectrum of psychiatric conditions, predominantly depressive and anxiety disorders, along with various behavioral disturbances. ObjectiveThis investigation aims to delineate the prevalence of depressive disorders among adolescents in urban Vietnam and to elucidate the interrelationships between familial and school-related dynamics and adolescent depression. Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2022, involving 507 students aged 15 to 17 from high schools in Hanoi, Vietnam. Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale - Second Edition (RADS-2) was used to assess the presence of depressive symptoms. Social-demographic characteristics, adolescent-family and adolescent-school relationships, and academic environment characteristics of high school students were interviewed. Multivariate Tobit regression models were employed to discern contributory factors across four domains of RADS-2. ResultsAmong the 507 adolescents, the mean scores on the RADS scale were 15.1 ± 4.2 for the dysphoric mood domain, 16.4 ± 4.0 for the anhedonia-negative domain, 13.1 ± 4.4 for the negative self-evaluation domain, and 12.4 ± 3.7 for the somatic complaints domain. The analysis indicated that adolescents with suboptimal parental relationships, absence of confidants, frequent parental conflicts, exposure to parental arguments, substantial exam-related stress, or overwhelming academic demands were more likely to exhibit elevated depressive symptoms. Conversely, adolescents who were satisfied with their friendships at school and received care, support from teachers or friends, and involved in school's extracurricular activities lower exhibited levels of depression. ConclusionsFindings reveal the significant impact of family and peer relationships, as well as academic stress, on the development of depressive symptoms. These significant results inform the design and development of future interventions aimed at mitigating depression risks among high school students, emphasizing the crucial roles of both educational institutions and family dynamics.