Child and Family Studies

Correction to: A Systematic Review of the Evidence for Family and Parenting Interventions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Child and Youth Mental Health Outcomes The original version of this article unfortunately contained two mistakes. The presentation of Fig. 2 was incorrect. The corrected version is given below. It has been updated in this corrected version, to reflect accurate information on the frequencies of components present in all 28 treatment manuals. The previously erroneously published figure contained frequencies from only 25 manuals, and this figure was created prior to the inclusion of 3 more recent manuals added during the process of the review. Furthermore, there is an error on page 13, in the sentence “These 25 intervention manuals were coded on the 72 Practice Wise codes, plus the additional code of Homework.” It should say “28”.

Parenting Influences on Perceived Adolescent Health Risks: A Mixed Methods Approach Abstract Objectives We explored how varying parenting practices might be related to adolescents and their parents’ perceived adolescent susceptibility toward high-risk health behaviors. Methods A mixed-methods study was conducted with 31 Chinese/Taiwanese American, African American, and European American parent-adolescent dyads/triads. Two rounds of interviews (a total of 148) were undertaken with 78 participants 4–6 months apart to understand parental strategies in protecting their adolescents from risky health behaviors. The Parenting Style questionnaires were administered to the parent/s to examine the congruence with parenting practices reported in qualitative interviews. Findings of interviews and Perception of Adolescent Health Risks questionnaires were synthesized to gain a better understanding about the relationship between parenting practices and participants’ perceived adolescent susceptibility toward high-risk health behaviors. Qualitative results were used to help understand and clarify the quantitative results. Results Our results indicated that diverse parents’ parenting practices were influenced by their situational and historical experiences as well as their cultural and religious beliefs. Health-related parenting (i.e., when and how to intervene) were related to parents’ perceived susceptibility of adolescents’ health risks. Conclusions Consistent with the literature, a permissive parenting style was associated with low perceived susceptibility to health risks. Authoritarian or authoritative parenting styles, however, were not significantly related to health risk perception. Furthermore, the Parenting Style measure seemed to not fully capture diverse families’ parenting practices reported in the qualitative results. Future research needs to incorporate influences stemming from families’ situational, historical, cultural, and religious experiences.

Stress-Buffering Effects of Social Support on Depressive Problems: Perceived vs. Received Support and Moderation by Parental Depression Abstract Objectives The impact of parental depressive problems on children’s depressive symptoms has been widely studied. The stress-buffering hypothesis states that social support acts as a protective factor between the impacts of stress from negative life events on physical and psychological health. The current study examined the stress-buffering hypothesis in terms of the relationship between parental depressive problems and emerging adult depressive problems. Methods Participants included 708 emerging adults who reported on their parents’ and their own depressive problems as measured by the Adult Behavior Checklist and Adult Self Report, respectively. Participants also reported their perceived social support using a modified version of the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, received social support using the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behavior, and negative life events using the Risky Behavior and Stressful Events Scale. Results Neither perceived nor received social support significantly moderated the aforementioned relationship. When parental depressive problems were added to the model, the three-way interaction among received social support, perceived stress, and paternal depressive problems on male depressive problems was significant (b = 0.22). Conclusions Perceptions of available support may be more important than received support when buffering between stress and depression. Likewise, parental depression may have a stronger influence on emerging adult outcomes over and beyond negative life events. Other significant pathways and models were discussed.

Indirect Effects of Family Cohesion on Emerging Adult Perfectionism Through Anxious Rearing and Social Expectations Abstract Objectives Perfectionism is a potentially maladaptive personality trait that is associated with dysfunctional family of origin parenting practices. In this research, a structural model was tested in which family cohesion was predicted to have indirect effects on perfectionism in emerging adults though anxious parenting and parental conditional regard. Methods The model was tested on a sample of 257 emerging adults attending universities in the U.S.A. Participants completed survey measures of perfectionism, their parents’ anxious parenting and conditional regard, and several indicators of family cohesion. Results The results supported the hypothesized indirect effects, consistent with the anxious rearing and social expectations theoretical pathways to perfectionism. Specifically, family cohesion was negatively associated with both anxious rearing and conditional regard, each of which were in turn positively associated with perfectionism. Conclusions The findings suggest that perfectionism in young adults is linked with low levels of family cohesion that coexist in a network of dysfunctional parenting practices.

Self-control, Risky Lifestyles, and Bullying Victimization Among Korean Youth: Estimating a Second-order Latent Growth Model Abstract Objectives This study examines how different variations in self-control and risky lifestyles correspond to the different variations in bullying victimization within the integrated approach of low self-control and risky lifestyles. Methods Using five waves of longitudinal data of 2844 Korean school-age youth, the study investigates the potential bidirectional/reciprocal effects and unidirectional effects between deviant peer associations and involvement in delinquent behaviors. The study estimates a conditional factor-of-curves model incorporating both low self-control and bullying victimization. Results The results reveal that youth with more rapid growth rate in deviant peer associations demonstrated more rapid growth rate in involvement in delinquent behaviors. Also, youth with less self-control were more likely to engage in risky lifestyles during the fourth grade and demonstrated a gradual decline in risky lifestyles over time. Further, youth with less self-control showed a gradually decreasing rate of risky lifestyles over time, which in turn led to higher risk of bullying victimization. Conclusions The relationship between self-control and victimization is well established both theoretically and empirically even after controlling for lifestyles.

Trauma-Informed Behavioral Parenting for Early Intervention Abstract Objectives Training in trauma-informed early intervention programs is greatly needed for Part C early intervention providers (EIs). This study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and initial outcomes of Trauma-Informed Behavioral Parenting (TIBP; subsequently renamed Smart Start), an early intervention program designed to meet the social–emotional needs of toddlers enrolled in Part C services. Methods This pilot study consisted of training and supervising 5 EIs to implement TIBP with 8 parent–child dyads as part of their Part C services. Preliminary changes in child behavior problems, trauma exposures, parenting stress, and parenting skills were evaluated quantitively. EIs completed treatment integrity measures. Focus groups provided data regarding the feasibility of implementation and caregiver attitudes about TIBP. Results Significant reductions in child trauma symptoms on both the YCPC-PTSD (S = 11.5, p = 0.0586, rMPRB = 0.64) and YCPC-FI (S = 11.5, p = 0.0586, rMPRB = 0.53) were indicated. No significant changes in externalizing behaviors were observed. Caregivers demonstrated improved use of positive verbal reinforcement and verbal reflections, and reported improvements on parent–child dysfunctional interactions on the PSI-SF (S = 16, p = 0.0117, rMPRB = 0.89). All focus group participants reported benefits from participating in TIBP. EIs demonstrated high adherence to treatment protocol and identified TIBP as a feasible program to implement within Part C services. Conclusions This study showed promising results as a means to disseminate evidence-based practices into a community-level program to address the social–emotional needs of toddlers. The need for additional, large sample research was highlighted.

Poly-victimization among Secondary High School Students in Saudi Arabia Abstract Poly-victimization can occur during childhood resulting in adverse events on health and well–being. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of past year as well as lifetime prevalence of poly-victimization among adolescents in Saudi Arabia (SA). A cross-sectional study was conducted in the five main provinces of SA. Boys and girls (n = 16,010) from public and private secondary high schools were selected to participate in the study. Nearly three-quarters (72%) experienced poly-victimizations during their lives and two third (66%) during the past year. Participants living with extended family, and living with a biologic and step-parent were 1.3 and 1.9 times respectively more likely to be poly-victimized during their lives and were 1.2 and 1.7 times respectively during the past year. Public policy should be established that encourages social workers and child protection services to screen for poly-victimization in cases of suspected adolescent maltreatment.

Clinical Correlates of Parenting Stress in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Serious Behavioral Problems Abstract Objectives We examined associations between parent-reported stress on the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and clinical characteristics in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and serious behavioral problems. Methods The 298 children (259 males, 39 females; mean age 5.8 ± 2.2 years) were participants in one of two multisite randomized trials. The pre-treatment evaluation included standardized assessments of cognitive and adaptive functioning (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales) and parent ratings such as the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). Results Parents of children above the median on disruptive behavior (ABC Irritability) and social disability (ABC Social Withdrawal) reported higher levels on PSI Parent–Child Interaction than children below the median (Irritability 33.0 ± 7.7 vs 28.4 ± 7.3; Social Withdrawal 33.4 ± 7.5 vs 27.9 ± 7.2, p < .05). Similar findings were observed for the PSI Difficult Child subscale. Bivariate logistic regression identified that these measures as well as greater adaptive functioning deficits (≤median on Vineland Daily Living) predicted parental membership in the upper quartile on the PSI. Stepwise logistic regression models showed that greater severity on ABC Social Withdrawal and greater deficits on Vineland Daily Living uniquely predicted parental membership in the highest quartile on the Parent–Child Interaction PSI subscale (ABC Social Withdrawal odds ratio = 3.4 (95% CI 1.82–6.32); p < .001; Vineland Daily Living odds ratio = 2.6 (95% CI = 1.34–4.87; p < .001). Conclusions In addition to disruptive behavior, higher levels of social disability and lower levels of adaptive functioning are associated with parental stress on the PSI.

Interparental Relationships among Low Income, Ethnically Diverse, Two-Parent Cohabiting Families Abstract Objectives The coparenting relationship has been conceptualized as a mechanism by which the broader interparental relationship affects child outcomes, but little is known about how aspects of fathers’ and mothers’ report of relationship quality (i.e., adjustment and conflict), are linked to coparenting quality within families experiencing economic strain or those of diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds. Methods The present study used actor-partner interdependence models to investigate specific links between relationship quality and coparenting for 301 low-income, cohabiting couples. Results Parents’ own relationship quality was related to their report of coparenting, and for relationship adjustment, links were stronger for mothers than for fathers. Generally, economic strain was linked to parents’ broader relationship quality and not coparenting. Models tested within subgroups of Black, Hispanic, Interethnic, and White parents suggest that overall associations between relationship quality and coparenting are similar for families of varying racial or ethnic backgrounds. Conclusions Findings suggest that existing theoretical coparenting work is relevant to parents of diverse, low-income backgrounds and bolster a growing body of work indicating that mothers’ report of coparenting is more closely tied to the broader couple relationship than is fathers’ report of coparenting.

Comparing Early-Childhood and School-Aged Systems of Care for Children with Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties: Risk, Symptom Presentation, and Outcomes Abstract Objectives Most large-scale evaluations of systems of care (SOCs) have focused on school-aged populations, with limited research examining early childhood SOCs. As a result, little is known about how risk profiles, symptom presentation, and outcomes may vary between early childhood and school-aged SOC participants. This descriptive study uses data from two SOCs—an early childhood SOC (EC-SOC) and a school-aged SOC (SA-SOC)—to examine the differences across age groups in how children and families present to SOCs and the extent to which risk factors and symptoms change over six months of enrollment. Method Participants were 184 children in the EC-SOC (mage = 3.91) and 142 children in the SA-SOC (mage = 9.36). Families completed measures assessing risk factors and functioning at enrollment and at six-month follow up. Descriptive analyses measured the presence of risk factors and symptoms at enrollment and follow-up. Correlations were computed to determine the associations between symptom measures. Results Results identified areas of similarity and difference between families presenting for SOCs at different developmental stages. Younger children experienced greater behavioral problems (Hedge’s g = 0.52, p< 0.001) with more associated caregiver stress (Hedge’s g range = 0.34–0.62, p < 0.01) and strain (Hedge’s g = 0.34, p= 0.005). Trauma was more strongly associated with child and caregiver symptoms among younger children. Greater change in symptom measures was observed for the EC-SOC. Conclusions Findings highlight the importance of providing services in early childhood and provide guidance for SOC service provision at different ages.