Parental Conflict Research Articles

How parental factors shape the plant embryo.

Primary axis formation is the first step of embryonic patterning in flowering plants and recent findings highlight the importance of parent-of-origin effects in this process. Apical-basal patterning has a strong influence on suspensor development, an extra-embryonic organ involved in nutrient transport to the embryo at an early stage of seed development. The endosperm, a second fertilization product, nourishes the embryo at later stages of seed development. Parent-of-origin effects are phenotypic effects that depend on whether a causal gene is inherited from the mother or the father. They are discussed in the context of the parental conflict theory in relation to nutrient allocation to the offspring. Imprinting is an important mechanism leading to uniparental gene expression in the endosperm and maternal control of its development. The parental conflict theory would predict that, with limited resources available, there is a competition between paternal alleles to increase nutrient supply, allowing rapid development and seed filling. A parental conflict might therefore shape the evolution of genes that can influence the allocation of nutrients to the seeds. However, we will also discuss other possible causes that might select genes for uniparental contribution. New data show that parent-of-origin effects also occur during the early stages of embryo development. These appear to be caused primarily by the carry-over of gamete-derived factors. In this review, we will highlight the molecular pathways that control apical-basal patterning in the early embryo and discuss recent findings in the context of the parental conflict theory and alternative explanations.

Born this way and stuck in the middle: The queer child at the center of parental conflict1

Born this way and stuck in the middle: The queer child at the center of parental conflict¹

Magnitude of female child sexual abuse in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Child sexual abuse is a grave issue with significant consequences for the well-being and development of children worldwide. Understanding the scope of this problem is essential, particularly in Ethiopia, where protecting the nation's youth is crucial. Although child sexual abuse is a critical issue, there is a lack of comprehensive assessment of its prevalence and associated factors in Ethiopia. This study aims to fill this gap by conducting a meta-analysis and systematic review to explore the current prevalence and contributing factors of female child sexual abuse in Ethiopia. This study followed the PRISMA checklist, focusing on Ethiopian studies. Nine relevant studies were identified from databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Medline, and the Cochrane Library for the final meta-analysis and systematic review. The analysis was performed with STATA version 11, utilizing a structured checklist for data extraction. To assess heterogeneity, the Cochrane Q test statistic and I2 tests were employed. To check for publication bias, Egger's weighted regression, Begg's test, and a funnel plot were utilized. A total of 1230 research articles were initially identified for this systematic review and meta-analysis. After screening, nine studies met the eligibility criteria, with a combined sample size of 3930 children across all studies. The pooled prevalence of child sexual abuse among female students was 36.83% [95% CI: 24.35-49.32]. This meta-analysis identified several factors significantly associated with child sexual abuse: children living alone (OR=4.45, 95% CI: 2.65-7.46), living with friends (OR=3.49, 95% CI: 2.35-5.18), alcohol consumption (OR=2.72, 95% CI: 1.70-4.35), cigarette smoking (OR=3.83, 95% CI: 1.66-8.83), parental conflicts (OR=2.50, 95% CI: 1.43-4.36), lack of open discussion about reproductive health (OR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.84-6.42), and family control practices (OR=1.92, 95% CI: 1.16-3.17). The pooled prevalence of child sexual abuse among female students (36.83%) highlights a critical need for focused preventive efforts. Key risk factors identified include living alone or with friends, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, parental conflicts, limited reproductive health discussions, and controlling family practices. Addressing these through community education, family support, and open communication on reproductive health could help reduce abuse risk among vulnerable groups.

Mediation of anxiety and coping strategies between severe discipline and interparental conflict with parenting stress.

Parenting stress is a complex process for parents who feel that the demands of their children upbringing overwhelm their roles. Parenting stress can be associated with anxiety, parental conflict and harsh discipline practices, and the use of coping strategies that positively buffer the effect of these variables on parents. Although the factors associated with parenting stress are well documented, the literature offers few models to explain the stress and the mediation of certain variables on Colombian families. The aim of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to analyze the mediation of anxiety and coping strategies in the relationship between 1) severe discipline and parenting stress, and 2) interparental conflict and parenting stress. A total of 1.373 fathers and mothers of Colombian children participated (Age M=40.57; SD=12.65). Questionnaires on parenting stress, severe discipline, perception of interparental conflict, anxiety and family functioning in crisis situations were applied. Severe discipline and interparental conflict accounted for 30% of parenting stress. Anxiety mediated the relationship between severe discipline and parenting stress. Anxiety and cognitive restructuring mediated the relationship between interparental conflict and parenting stress. The findings show that parenting stress interventions are important in reducing severe discipline and interparental conflict by managing anxiety and using coping strategies such as cognitive restructuring. Thus, these measures contribute to the well-being of families, favoring the integral development of children.

Restful nights to peaceful days: how sleep quality and family dynamics influence aggression in preadolescent children

Preadolescent children, facing academic stressors and physiological changes, often encounter sleep disturbances, which are recognized as a pivotal factor contributing to heightened aggression. This research, anchored on ecosystem theory and Emotion Management Theory, analyses how sleep quality promotes aggressiveness in preadolescent children while addressing the mediating effects of perceived parental conflict and emotional instability. The study conducted on 382 Chinese preadolescent children examined the relationship between sleep quality, aggression, perceived parental conflict, and emotional insecurity. The findings indicate that sleep quality not only directly influences aggression in preadolescent children but also indirectly increases their aggression by impacting their perception of parental conflict and emotional insecurity. Thus, this study proposes a novel perspective focused on the microsystem of individual–family dynamics to ameliorate aggression in preadolescent children.

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.

"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.

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.

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 strawberries. We isolated endosperm tissues from F1 seeds of 2 wild strawberry F. vesca subspecies, generated endosperm-enriched transcriptomes, and identified candidate Maternally Expressed and Paternally Expressed Genes (MEGs and PEGs). Through bioinformatic analyses, we identified 4 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 over-expression in transgenic strawberries 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 strawberries, suggest the 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.

Implementing the Concept of Co-Parenting in Divorce Cases: An Analysis Using the Maslahah Approach

This study aims to analyze the application of child rights protection in divorce decisions at the Cirebon Religious Court and explore ways to optimize this protection using the maslahah approach. Divorce significantly impacts the physical and mental development of children, often resulting in a weakened next generation due to the lack of fulfillment of children's rights post-divorce. The research employs a normative juridical method, incorporating statute, case, and conceptual analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current legal landscape and its shortcomings. The findings reveal that while the inclusion of children's rights in divorce decisions is crucial, it remains optional rather than mandatory. This oversight leaves many children vulnerable, as their rights are not consistently safeguarded in the aftermath of their parents' separation. Currently, no regulation mandates the inclusion of children's rights in divorce decrees, limiting judges to act only on explicit petitions. This study highlights the effectiveness of the Maslahah approach in ensuring that children's rights are prioritized, recommending significant legal reforms to make the inclusion of these rights mandatory in divorce rulings. Such reforms would provide a robust legal foundation to safeguard children's human rights post-divorce, covering aspects such as education, health, and protection from parental conflict. By implementing these recommendations, we can enhance the well-being of children affected by divorce and ensure their rights are consistently protected.

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.