Adolescent and maternal representations of the parental bond and their relation to behavioral and psychological outcomes in adolescents
Abstract
The present study examined how the different parental bonding styles (i.e., autonomy supporting, affective constraint, affectionless control, and weak) as represented by both mothers and adolescents is related to Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems scale scores on the CBCL as reported by both mothers and adolescents. It also examined how these parental bonding styles relate to a group of adolescents diagnosed with a mental disorder and a group of adolescents not diagnosed with a mental disorder. Data from a total of 148 mothers (74 Latino, 45 Black, 21 White, 7 Biracial, and 1 Other) and 193 adolescents (100 Latino, 51 Black, 21 White, 20 Biracial, and 1 Other) were included in the study. Both mothers and adolescents were asked to complete the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Adolescents were also interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Analyses of variance (ANOVA) and chi-square tests were used to analyze data. Results revealed higher scores on the Internalizing, Externalizing, and Total Problems scale scores of the CBCL for those participants who endorsed an affectionless control or weak parental bonding style as opposed to those who endorsed an autonomy supporting or affective constraint parental bonding style for both mothers and adolescents. Results also indicated that the mothers' representation of the parental bond was only related to the behavioral outcomes they reported regarding the adolescents but not what the adolescents reported about themselves and vice versa. No significant differences were found between the non-diagnosed and diagnosed group. The current study contributes to the literature on parental bonding in adolescence as it relates to behavioral and psychological outcomes by adding to the empirical understanding of an American population that has been historically under-researched. It also helps to further expand and have empirical evidence with which to apply Bowlby's theory of attachment by providing information on how parental bonding styles may relate to behavioral and psychological outcomes of adolescent American ethnic minorities. Theoretical and clinical implications of findings, limitations of the study, and future research directions are discussed.
Subject Area
Counseling Psychology|Developmental psychology
Recommended Citation
Rodriguez, Edwardo Jesus, "Adolescent and maternal representations of the parental bond and their relation to behavioral and psychological outcomes in adolescents" (2011). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI3452796.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI3452796
