Journal article
Attachment and Parent-Adolescent Discrepancies in Reports of Family Functioning among Suicidal Adolescents
Journal of child and family studies, v 29(1), pp 227-236
01 Jan 2020
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
ObjectivesThe current study examined parent-adolescent discrepancies in reports of family functioning and their relation to attachment styles, depressive symptomatology, and suicidal ideation in a diverse sample of adolescents (49.7% African American, 15.5% Hispanic/Latino, 28.7% White, 81.9% female).MethodsParticipants were 129 adolescents (ages 12-18) and one caregiver (79% mothers). Adolescents had met inclusion criteria in a Randomized Clinical Trial for depressed and suicidal adolescents. Measures of family functioning, symptoms, and attachment styles were assessed at baseline prior to treatment.ResultsOn average, adolescents reported less family cohesion compared to caregivers (t (127)=-3.01, p=0.003) but similar levels of family conflict (p>0.05). Polynomial regression models demonstrated that avoidant attachment styles with mother figures were associated with adolescent-reported family conflict when parents reported low family conflict (b=0.79, SE=0.24, p<0.01).ConclusionsIt is possible that avoidant attachment styles are linked to mistuned patterns of communication that in turn, enhance differing views of family conflict. Conversely, an avoidant attachment style may be maintained when adolescents perceive family conflict that is not validated by their caregiver. This study supports and extends previous findings that discrepant views of family functioning indicate problems in the parent-adolescent relationship. Findings are consistent with research demonstrating the clinical relevance of informant discrepancies beyond information obtained from only one respondent's report.
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Details
- Title
- Attachment and Parent-Adolescent Discrepancies in Reports of Family Functioning among Suicidal Adolescents
- Creators
- Cindy J. Chang - Rutgers, The State University of New JerseyChristine McCauley Ohannessian - University of ConnecticutE. Stephanie Krauthamer Ewing - Drexel UniversityRoger Kobak - University of DelawareGuy S. Diamond - Drexel UniversityJoanna Herres - College of New Jersey
- Publication Details
- Journal of child and family studies, v 29(1), pp 227-236
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Number of pages
- 10
- Grant note
- R01-MH091059 / National Institute of Mental Health; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Counseling and Family Therapy; Center for Family Intervention Science
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000493371200001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85074697181
- Other Identifier
- 991019168833004721
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InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Family Studies
- Psychiatry
- Psychology, Developmental