Gender, family competence, and psychological symptoms

In this study (n = 197) I examine the relationship between the presence of individual psychological symptoms as reported on the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) and family competence as measured by the Beavers Interaction Scales, with particular emphasis on how these relationships vary according to gender. Despite the common belief that women need relationships more than men, the psychological health of men in this study was as strongly related to their perceptions of family quality as women's, perhaps even more so. Male and female adolescents appeared to experience family interactions quite differently. Implications for research and practice are addressed.