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Parents' marital functioning and adolescent psychopathology
C A King1, L Radpour, M W Naylor
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109-0390, USA.
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Parental marital conflict is linked to adolescent behavioral issues, not depression. Lower marital satisfaction and higher conflict in parents correlated with more severe school and free-time problems in adolescents.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Family Studies
- Adolescent Development
Background:
- Parental marital functioning significantly impacts adolescent well-being.
- Understanding the specific links between marital dynamics and psychopathology is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between parents' marital functioning and adolescent psychopathology.
- To examine associations between marital satisfaction, conflict, communication, and adolescent mental health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Two studies were conducted comparing matched samples of psychiatric inpatient and control-group adolescents.
- Data collected included parental marital satisfaction, conflict, communication, and adolescent psychopathology measures.
Main Results:
- Parents of adolescents with psychiatric issues reported lower marital satisfaction and more childrearing conflicts compared to controls.
- Marital conflicts were associated with less involved father-adolescent relationships and increased school/leisure problems.
- No significant association was found between marital functioning and adolescent depression severity or suicidal ideation.
Conclusions:
- Parental marital discord, particularly conflict over childrearing, is associated with specific adolescent behavioral and social adjustment problems.
- While marital functioning impacts adolescent adjustment, it does not appear to directly influence depression severity or suicidal ideation in this population.