Dissertation
Relationships between paternal attachment, fathers' participation in family therapy, and adolescent depression and suicide risk
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Sep 2020
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00000272
Abstract
Adolescent attachment relationships with parents are salient predictors of psychological well-being. Insecure attachment in adolescence is associated with heightened likelihood of experiencing emotional difficulties, including higher risk for depression and suicidality. Most studies have focused on maternal attachment; less attention has been given to the role of paternal attachment. Only a few studies have examined the role of fathers' participation in adolescent treatment studies. The current study examined relationships between adolescents' paternal attachment and 1) pre-treatment symptoms of depression and suicide ideation; and 2) symptom change trajectories over the course of 16-weeks of treatment with Attachment based family therapy (ABFT) and Nondirective Supportive Therapy (NST). The study examined whether father participation in ABFT with adolescents predicted improvements in paternal attachment and relationship quality, and whether father participation predicted depression and suicide symptom change trajectories. Significant pre-treatment correlations were found between paternal attachment anxiety and adolescent suicide ideation. While father participation in treatment did not predict changes in adolescent symptoms or self-reported attachment style with fathers, it did predict significant improvements from pre to post treatment in reports of retrospectively recalled relationship quality with their fathers using the Adult Attachment Inferred Experience subscales. Possible clinical implications and future research directions are discussed.
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Details
- Title
- Relationships between paternal attachment, fathers' participation in family therapy, and adolescent depression and suicide risk
- Creators
- Elizabeth T. Adedokun
- Contributors
- Ellen Stephanie Krauthamer Ewing (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- vii, 56 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Counseling and Family Therapy; College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991014695247404721