Reduce Family Conflict Research Articles

Parenting behaviours among low‐income mothers of preschool age children in the USA: implications for parenting programmes

This study examines the overall quality of parenting behaviours among low‐income mothers in the USA and the extent to which they are influenced by risk factors within the family environment, maternal well‐being and maternal risk characteristics associated with socio‐economic status. Participants consisted of 1070 low‐income mothers of three‐year‐old children who were enrolled in the Early Head Start (EHS) Research and Evaluation Project. Data were collected using structured interviews with the mothers and from videotaped mother–child interactions during play activities when children were age three. Findings indicated that less‐positive parenting behaviours and fewer supports for language and learning were predicted by higher family conflict, higher parental distress and maternal social risk factors including younger age, less education and a history of public assistance. Fewer household resources also predicted fewer supports for language and learning, but not positive parenting. Negative parenting behaviours were not predicted by maternal well‐being, although higher family conflict and maternal demographic risk factors (younger age, history of public assistance, not being married or living with partner) were statistically significant predictors. Findings from this study suggest that programmes to address the parenting abilities of low‐income mothers are warranted, and that national programmes geared at helping mothers should be augmented by efforts to decrease the degree of stress they experience in their parenting role, as well as by effective strategies to increase available household resources and reduce family conflict. They also indicate that particular attention should be paid to enhance the parenting abilities of mothers who are younger, have lower levels of education, have a history of receiving public assistance and those who are not married or living with their partner.

Family conflict and depression in HIV-negative heterosexuals: The role of methamphetamine use.

Previous research has reported elevated levels of depressive symptoms among methamphetamine users, but little attention has been paid to possible links between family environment and psychological distress. This study examined relationships between family conflict, substance use, and depressive symptoms in a sample of 104 heterosexual methamphetamine users in San Diego, California. Eighty-nine percent of the sample reported conflict with a family member in the past year. Conflict was reported most often with parents and siblings. Sources of conflict included drug use, lifestyle issues, interpersonal and communication issues, and concern for other family members. In regression analyses, being female, being a polydrug user, and facing social and legal stressors were associated with higher levels of family conflict. Multiple regression analyses also revealed a positive association between family conflict and depressive symptoms. Contrary to expectation, methamphetamine dose did not moderate the relationship between family conflict and depressive symptoms. Reducing family conflict may be an important first step toward ameliorating depressive symptoms and creating more supportive environments for methamphetamine users who are in urgent need of effective interventions.

A Psychometric Analysis of Parents of Children with Leukemia

Abstract To investigate the anxiety and depression of parents whose children suffered from leukemia and to develop a set of theoretical guidance for later psychologic intervention, parents of leukemia children treated in Beijing Children’s Hospital (BCH) from March of 2004 to March of 2006 were evaluated with Family Environment Scale (FES) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaires. They were tested in three phases relating to three groups: parents of newly-diagnosed-children group, parents with or without psychological intervention groups. Parents in intervention group were given individual psychotherapy, group therapy or systemic family therapy. A total of 353 questionnaires were analyzed, including 138 in newly-diagnosed-children group, 103 in intervention group and 112 in non-intervention group. Results showed: The family environment scores of expressiveness, independence, achievement, cultural, recreational orientations and organization were significantly lower, but the scores of conflict, ethics religion and control were much higher in parents of newly-diagnosed-children group than the normative population. For example, the scores of expressiveness and conflict were 4.9 and 2.3 in normative population, but the scores were 2.3 and 3.9 in parents of leukemia children. The HAD scores of parents of newly-diagnosed-children group showed that the scores of anxiety and depression were 38.4% and 24.1% higher than the baseline value respectively. The scores of parents’ cultural, recreational orientations and independence increased to normal level in six months after their children received treatment; Fathers’ conflict score decreased to normal level in intervention group (3.0) compared to non-intervention group (4.4). The scores of parents’ anxiety and depression reduced to baseline six months after their children received treatment. We concluded that the psychologic distress of parents was influenced tremendously by their leukemia children. At the beginning of diagnosis their anxiety, depression and conflict were significantly elevated. Most parents could cope with their leukemia children by timely and effective psychological supports. Professional psychological intervention is most helpful in reducing family conflicts.

`It's Just Easier for Me to Do It': Rationalizing the Family Division of Foodwork

While women continue to do the lion's share of foodwork and other housework, they and their families appear to perceive this division of labour as fair. Much of the research in this area has focused on families of European origin, and on the perceptions of women. Here we report findings of a qualitative study based on interviewing multiple family members from three ethno-cultural groups in Canada. Women, men and children employed similar rationales for why women did most of the foodwork, though explanations differed somewhat by ethno-cultural group. Explicitly naming foodwork as women's work was uncommon, except in one ethno-cultural group.Yet more individualized, apparently gender-neutral rationales such as time availability, schedules, concern for family health, foodwork standards, and the desire to reduce family conflict were grounded in unspoken assumptions about gender roles. Such implicit gender assumptions may be more difficult to challenge.

Perceived Treatment Effectiveness of Family Therapy for Chinese Patients Suffering from Anorexia Nervosa: A Qualitative Inquiry

ABSTRACTAlthough family therapy has become highly acceptable in the West, its applicability and acceptability for Chinese adolescents and young women with anorexia nervosa (AN) remains unknown. In this article, we report the results of a qualitative study using post-treatment in-depth interviews to understand the subjective perceptions of sufferers of AN as well as their families towards family therapy. The majority of the recovered patients (n = 24) perceived the helpfulness of family therapy in resolving their problem of self-starvation. Only two respondents thought otherwise. Family therapy was perceived to be helpful in lowering the psychological distress of the parents, reducing family conflicts, and increasing family cohesion. The results underscore the importance of the therapist in being flexible and versatile in treatment.

Multiple-Family Group Treatment for English- and Vietnamese-Speaking Families Living With Schizophrenia

Multiple-Family Group Treatment for English- and Vietnamese-Speaking Families Living With Schizophrenia

Supervisor and subordinate work-family values: Does similarity make a difference?

Supervisor-subordinate similarity affects a number of workplace outcomes, but the effect of similarity in work-family values is not well understood. Our sample consisted of 209 participants (121 female and 88 male) from a range of occupations. A structural model was tested in which subordinate perceptions of supervisor work-family value similarity predicted increased supervisor support and reduced family conflict, with an indirect effect through these variables to job satisfaction. Higher work-family conflict and lower job satisfaction had significant paths to emotional exhaustion, as a key indicator of burnout. Structural equation modeling indicated a good fit to the model for both men and women. Similarity of work-family values influenced emotional exhaustion through its impact on work-family conflict and job satisfaction.

Family influences on the risk of daily smoking initiation

To examine developmental patterns and family influences on the risk of daily smoking initiation from adolescence to young adulthood. A gender-balanced, ethnically diverse urban sample of 808 children aged 10-11 years was surveyed in 1985 and followed prospectively to age 21 in 1996. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to assess the hazard of initiation of daily smoking during this time period, as well as the effects of family factors on the risk of daily smoking initiation. Less parental smoking, more strict family monitoring and rules, and stronger family bonding predicted a significantly lower risk of daily smoking initiation controlling for socio-demographic background. The decline in the impact of family bonding over time was marginally significant; however, none of the interactions between family factors and time were significant, indicating generally consistent family influences on daily smoking from age 10 to 21. The present findings indicate that parent smoking contributes to the onset of daily smoking in their teenagers even if parents practice good family management, hold norms against teen tobacco use, and do not involve their children in their own tobacco use. Smoking prevention programs should include components focused on parents of adolescents. To reduce risks for daily smoking among adolescents, it is important to encourage parents to stop or reduce their own smoking. In addition, these data indicate that parents can reduce their children's risk of daily smoking initiation by reducing family conflict, by maintaining strong bonds with their children, by setting clear rules, and by closely monitoring their children's behaviors.

Contingency management treatments that reinforce completion of goal-related activities: Participation in family activities and its association with outcomes

Contingency management (CM) techniques that reinforce completion of nondrug related activities may be efficacious in treating substance dependence. No studies to date have evaluated whether involvement in particular types of activities reduces problems in those domains. One hundred fifty-nine cocaine-abusing adults who had been randomized to a CM intervention were categorized based on whether or not they engaged in three or more family related activities during the 12-week treatment period. Differences between the groups were evaluated with respect to treatment retention, length of continuous abstinence, and changes from baseline to the end of the intervention in ASI-family scores and days of family conflict. Participants who engaged in family activities (N=29) remained in treatment longer, were abstinent for more weeks, and reported greater reduction in family conflict compared to participants who did not engage in family activities (N=130). These data suggest that participants who elect to complete family related activities during CM treatments may evidence improved outcomes and reduced family conflict.

Personality Disorder Traits During Adolescence and Relationships With Family Members During the Transition to Adulthood.

Data from the Children in the Community Transitions Study, a prospective longitudinal investigation, were used to examine the association between adolescent personality disorder (PD) traits and conflict with family members during the transition to adulthood. PD traits at mean age 16 years were associated with elevated contact and conflict with family members between ages 17 and 27 years after Axis I disorders were controlled. There was a significant association between frequent contact and elevated conflict with family members. Both declined gradually during the transition to adulthood. Reduced family contact was associated with reduced family conflict, particularly among individuals who had numerous PD traits during adolescence. Among individuals who had a high level of family conflict during adolescence, reduced family contact between ages 17 and 22 years was associated with a subsequent reduction in conflict with family members between ages 22 and 27 years.

Correlations for perceived family environmental factors with substance use among adolescents in South Africa.

Perceived family environmental factors were used to predict self-reported use of substances (drugs or alcohol) among adolescents in South Africa. 435 high school students (ages 15 to 19 years, M=17.2 yr., SD=1.34) answered a questionnaire which included questions on demographic variables, the Family Environmental Scale, and questions on substances used (drugs or alcohol). Logistic regression analysis indicated that scores on family conflict and low family moral-religious emphasis were significantly associated with drug use (57.9% of the variance was accounted for) and use of alcohol (62.3% of the variance was accounted for). Programmes for the reduction of substance use among adolescents should include activities designed to reduce family conflict and strengthen family moral-religious emphasis.

Family Communication as a Mediator of Child Adjustment to Divorce

Reduced family conflict, consistency in roles and parenting, and limited negative life changes seem to be particularly important variables in promoting children's adjustment to divorce. The impact of family functioning on child adjustment was investigated in a sample of 22 recently separated or divorced families with a total of 32 children. A series of multiple regression analyses using factors on the Family Assessment Device to predict Child Behavior Checklist scores indicated that family functioning is a significant predictor of children's Externalizing behavior problems. The Communication factor accounted for a significant portion of unique variance in the externalizing scores that was unaccounted for by the other factors. When separated parents can communicate with each other to co-parent their children, as well as communicate affective limit-setting messages to their children, the children exhibit less behavioral problems.

Conflict Resolution in Parent-Adolescent Dyads

A pretest and posttest experimental and control group study was completed, assessing the effectiveness of a commercially available social skills training program (Adolescent Social Skills Effectiveness Training; ASSET) for improving social skills and reducing family conflict in parent-adolescent dyads. The final sample included 18 experimental and 7 control parent-adolescent dyads with perceived conflict. All subjects were assessed on self-perceived and behavioral social skills indicators. Parents and adolescents in the training group manifested improved social skills. Parents attributed this improvement to the increased ability to accept and give negative feedback Adolescents perceived this improvement to be due to increased ability to accept and give negative feedback improved problem solving, and enhanced negotiation skills. Only parents perceived changes in warmth and hostility in the parent-adolescent relationship. The results partially confirm the effectiveness of ASSET to enhance social skills. Findings are qualified due to limitations of the study.

Perceived family climate, psychological adjustment, and peer relationship of black adolescents: A function of parental marital status or perceived family conflict?

This study examined two contrasting views of divorce and its effect on the adjustment of children. The physical wholeness position maintains that divorce itself is the salient variable that adversely affects children via the physical dissolution of the family; while the psychological wholeness position maintains that conflict is the critical variable which influences adjustment and does so regardless of parental marital status. Results of analyses on a sample of black working lower class adolescents failed to support the physical wholeness position; adolescents' age at the time of parental divorce, gender, and parental marital status were not significantly related to perception of family climate, psychological adjustment, grade point average, or peer relationships. However, results did provide strong support for the psychological wholeness position since adolescents' perception of family climate, psychological adjustment, and peer relationships were all significantly related to level of perceived conflict in the family. Conceptualizing divorce as a crisis situation rather than as a uniformly and universally negative event appears more reasonable since adolescents in our sample adapted to, and coped with, divorce. Use of conflict identification and resolution interventions to reduce family conflict may prevent future problems in child development.