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. 2012 Aug;43(4):631-47.
doi: 10.1007/s10578-012-0288-z.

Relations between parent psychopathology, family functioning, and adolescent problems in substance-abusing families: disaggregating the effects of parent gender

Marcy Burstein  1 , Catherine Stanger, Levent Dumenci
Affiliations

Relations between parent psychopathology, family functioning, and adolescent problems in substance-abusing families: disaggregating the effects of parent gender

Marcy Burstein et al. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

The present study: (1) examined relations between parent psychopathology and adolescent internalizing problems, externalizing problems, and substance use in substance-abusing families; and (2) tested family functioning problems as mediators of these relations. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the independent effects of parent psychopathology and family functioning problems by parent gender. Participants included 242 parents in treatment for substance abuse and/or dependence and 59 of their coparents (16.9% in treatment for substance-abuse/dependence) from middle income households (SES: M = 4.7; SD = 2.1). Ratings were obtained for 325 adolescents (48% female; 27.8% non-Caucasian) between the ages of 10 and 18 years (M = 13.5 years; SD = 2.5 years). Parent psychopathology, family functioning problems, and adolescent problems were assessed with parent and coparent ratings on the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90)/Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), the Family Relationship Measure, and the Child Behavior Checklist, respectively. Results indicated that maternal psychopathology was directly related to adolescent internalizing problems and substance use, but maternal perceptions of family functioning problems failed to mediate relations between maternal psychopathology and adolescent problems. By contrast, paternal perceptions of family functioning problems uniquely mediated relations between paternal psychopathology and adolescent externalizing problems. Findings underscore the importance of examining how mothers and fathers may differentially impact adolescent problems in substance-abusing families.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Full model; Mother Treatment, Father Treatment, Adolescent Gender, and Adolescent Age covariate paths to manifest variables and latent constructs are not displayed; indicators of latent constructs and residuals are not displayed. b Father Mediated Model; N = 325; χ2(140) = 258.95, p < 0.005; χ2/df = 1.85; TLI = 0.762; RMSEA = 0.051; *p < 0.05; Squared multiple correlations are displayed within constructs and manifest variables. Only significant covariate paths are displayed, indicators of latent constructs, and residuals are not displayed
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