Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 9, 2025

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Roles of physical functioning and comorbid mental illness of chronically ill parents and their spouses' health status
1Educational and Community Programs, Queens College of the City University of New York, Flushing, New York, USA.
Introduction:
Emerging research suggests that physically ill parents' psychological adjustment to illness and emotional well-being may affect adolescents' psychosocial functioning. As people with chronic medical conditions often develop mental disorders, it is important to examine the influence of comorbidity of parental physical and mental health conditions on adolescents' functioning. In addition, the physical and mental health status of the spouses/partners of chronically ill parents needs to be explored to further understand the potential impact of parental chronic illness on adolescents' psychological distress and academic performance.
Methods:
Cross-sectional data from 164 parent-adolescent pairs were collected through online surveys in the United States between 2018 and 2019. Parent participants (Mage = 42.69, SD = 5.96) included parents who had been diagnosed with a chronic physical illness (e.g., multiple sclerosis, diabetes, chronic pain, cancer). Adolescent participants were middle- and high-school-aged children who lived with their physically ill parents (Mage = 14.34, SD = 2.07).
Results:
Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that comorbid mental illness of parental chronic illness and spousal mental health status were associated with adolescents' distress. The level of physical functioning of chronically ill parents was related to adolescents' academic performance.
Conclusion:
Parental chronic illness appears to affect adolescents' psychological and academic outcomes through distinct pathways. It is important to examine the comorbid mental health status of chronically ill parents and their spouses'/partners' mental health conditions to better understand the impact of parental chronic illness on adolescents' psychological adjustment.
Related Concept Videos
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Factors Affecting Illness
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Dimensions of Health and Illness
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results...

