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Family stability as a protective factor against psychopathology for urban children receiving psychological services

Masha Y Ivanova1, Allen C Israel

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05401, USA. Masha.Ivanova@uvm.edu

Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology : the Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53
|September 30, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Family stability, or consistent routines, buffers children

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Family Studies
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Family stability, characterized by consistent routines, is crucial for child development.
  • Parental mental health, particularly depressive symptoms, can impact child adjustment.
  • Children receiving psychological services may face unique challenges related to family dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between family stability and child behavior problems in urban families.
  • To examine the moderating role of family stability in the relationship between parental depressive symptoms and child behavior.
  • To understand how family stability influences child adjustment in families seeking psychological support.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study of 70 urban families with children aged 7–16.
  • Utilized parent-reported measures of family stability and child behavior problems.
  • Included child-reported family stability and parental depressive symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Parent-reported family stability correlated with fewer internalizing behavior problems in children.
  • Child-reported family stability lessened the impact of parental depression on internalizing, externalizing, and total behavior problems.
  • Parental depressive symptoms were linked to child adjustment issues primarily when family stability was low.

Conclusions:

  • Family stability acts as a protective factor for child behavior, particularly when parents experience depressive symptoms.
  • Interventions aimed at enhancing family stability may improve child adjustment in clinical populations.
  • Consistent family routines are vital for mitigating the negative effects of parental mental health challenges on children.

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