scholarly journals Associations between parent–child relationship, and children’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and lifestyle behaviors in China during the COVID-19 epidemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fanxing Du ◽  
Li He ◽  
Mark R. Francis ◽  
Mark Forshaw ◽  
Kerry Woolfall ◽  
...  

AbstractTo investigate associations between parent–child relationships, children’s externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and lifestyle responses to the COVID-19 epidemic, we conducted an online survey of a random, representative sample of residents with children aged 3–17 years during mid-March 2020 in Wuhan and Shanghai, China. A total of 1655 parents and children were surveyed with a response rate of 80.1% in the survey. During the epidemic, the frequency of children enquiring about the epidemic (AOR = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.06), parents explaining the epidemic to them (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.80, 4.58), parents expressing negative emotions in front of them (AOR = 2.62; 95% CI = 2.08–3.30), and parents with more irritable attitudes (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.33–2.81) were significantly associated with children’s externalizing symptoms. For internalizing symptoms, significant associations were found with worse parent–child closeness (AOR = 2.93; 95% CI = 1.80–4.79), the frequency of parents expressing negative emotions in front of them (AOR = 2.64; 95% CI = 1.68, 4.12), and more irritable attitudes (AOR = 2.24; 95% CI = 1.42–3.55). We also found that each indicator of parent–child relationships had the significantly similar associations with children’s lifestyle behaviors. These findings suggest that improving parents’ attitudes towards their children and parent–child closeness during the epidemic, especially among parents with lower educational levels, are important to ensure the wellbeing of children.

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 519-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle R. Vantieghem ◽  
Laurel Gabard-Durnam ◽  
Bonnie Goff ◽  
Jessica Flannery ◽  
Kathryn L. Humphreys ◽  
...  

AbstractInstitutional caregiving is associated with significant deviations from species-expected caregiving, altering the normative sequence of attachment formation and placing children at risk for long-term emotional difficulties. However, little is known about factors that can promote resilience following early institutional caregiving. In the current study, we investigated how adaptations in affective processing (i.e., positive valence bias) and family-level protective factors (i.e., secure parent–child relationships) moderate risk for internalizing symptoms in previously institutionalized (PI) youth. Children and adolescents with and without a history of institutional care performed a laboratory-based affective processing task and self-reported measures of parent–child relationship security. PI youth were more likely than comparison youth to show positive valence biases when interpreting ambiguous facial expressions. Both positive valence bias and parent–child relationship security moderated the association between institutional care and parent-reported internalizing symptoms, such that greater positive valence bias and more secure parent–child relationships predicted fewer symptoms in PI youth. However, when both factors were tested concurrently, parent–child relationship security more strongly moderated the link between PI status and internalizing symptoms. These findings suggest that both individual-level adaptations in affective processing and family-level factors of secure parent–child relationships may ameliorate risk for internalizing psychopathology following early institutional caregiving.


Author(s):  
Mette Kirstine Tørslev ◽  
Dicte Bjarup Thøgersen ◽  
Ane Høstgaard Bonde ◽  
Paul Bloch ◽  
Annemarie Varming

Background: The family is an important setting in the promotion of child health. The parent–child relationship affects the social and health development of children, and children’s healthy behaviors are associated with positive parenting strategies. The parent–child relationship is bi-directional and the connection between parenting and child health is complex. However, few parenting interventions work with parents and children together, and more knowledge is needed on how to develop and implement interventions promoting healthy parent–child relationships. Focusing on a family cooking class program, this study addresses how community initiatives engaging parents and children together can contribute to integrating parenting support with local health promotion. Methods: Participant-driven photo-elicited interviews (nine families), focus group evaluations (nine parents/14 children) and observations during cooking classes (10 classes) were applied to analyze the tools and mechanisms that can support positive parenting. Results: The study found that visual, practical and sensory learning techniques, applied in a context-sensitive learning environment that ensured guidance, safety and a friendly social atmosphere, contributed to positive parent–child interaction and bonding. Conclusion: The cooking program facilitated parenting practices that support child involvement and autonomy. Thus, the program constituted an effective intervention to strengthen parent–child relationships and positive parenting.


2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Wrzus ◽  
Jenny Wagner ◽  
Anna Baumert ◽  
Franz J. Neyer ◽  
Frieder R. Lang

Previous studies on reciprocity of support in parent–child relationships during adulthood have focused on the needs of the recipient and other characteristics of the relationship, whereas the role of personality characteristics is not yet well understood. In the present research, we explored how prosocial dispositions and prosocial behaviour of both parents and adult children relate to perceptions of their relationship as reciprocal with respect to support. Family social relations models were applied to disentangle general relationship behaviour and perceptions from effects unique to the parent–child relationship. Study 1 demonstrated that results based on ‘conventional’ analytic approaches differed markedly from conclusions drawn from social relations models: the former approach indicated parents to report providing more support than their children, the latter approach revealed no differences between parent and adult child regarding their unique relationship. Study 2 extended the findings of Study 1 by focusing on behavioural mediators of the association between prosocial dispositions and perceptions of reciprocal support. Together, the findings provide insight into interdependencies among parents and children and the predictive power of individual as well as behavioural factors for understanding reciprocity of support. Furthermore, they highlight how the interpretation of parent–child relationships depends on the chosen methodological focus. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyi Wang ◽  
Hao Wang ◽  
Haijiang Lin ◽  
Marcus Richards ◽  
Shuyue Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Little is known about the prevalence of and risk factors for adolescent mental health problems during the COVID-19 outbreak. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms, their association with study-relevant problems, and the moderating effect of parent-child relationship among Chinese adolescents during the school closures. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis with data collected in middle and high schools in Taizhou, China. Students completed an online survey between April 16 and May 14, 2020. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Children’s Depression Inventory. Three types of study problems were recorded, including having difficulty in studying at home, dislike of remote learning, and excessive screen entertainment time. Parental relationships were categorized into good or normal relationship and poor relationship. Linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations between study-relevant problems and depressive symptoms. Results Using data from 6435 adolescents, we found that the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17.7%. All the study problem measures were associated with more severe depressive symptoms. There was a moderating effect of the parental relationship on the associations between study problems and depressive symptoms. The association between number of study problems and depressive symptoms was stronger in adolescents with a poor parent-child relationship (regression coefficient 4.34 [95% CI 2.97, 5.72]) than those with a good or normal relationship (2.55 [2.35, 2.75]), p for interaction 0.002, on multivariable adjustment. Conclusions Study problems due to school closures were particularly problematic for adolescents who had poor parent-child relationships. Public health initiatives could help students to adjust study habits and improve parent-child relationships, thereby protecting against the development of depression.


10.18060/1881 ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Staci J. Jensen-Hart ◽  
Jeff Christensen ◽  
Lacey Dutka ◽  
J. Corey Leishman

Military families experience increased stress when facing issues of deployment, separation, and reunification. The increased stress impacts the parent-child relationship as well as child behavioral and emotional well-being. Although recognizing the resiliency of military families, research points to the need to monitor parental stress both pre- and post-deployment and highlights the inherent risks that separation and reunification pose for the parent-child relationship bond. This pilot study was designed to explore the effectiveness of the Child Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) Training Model as a proactive method of enhancing parent-child relationships, reducing parental stress, and preventing negative impact of military separations on children.


1993 ◽  
Vol 03 (02) ◽  
pp. 133-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
PETER EADES ◽  
TAO LIN ◽  
XUEMIN LIN

Rooted trees abound in computing and it is often necessary to draw them for visualization and documentation purposes. In the classical convention for tree drawing, the tree is drawn in a “level” fashion, with nodes (represented by boxes) at depth k lying on a horizontal line at a distance of k units below the root. The parent — child relationships are represented by lines between the boxes. Several algorithms have been developed for constructing a compact layout of a tree in the classical convention. In this paper we investigate algorithms for drawing trees according to two new conventions. In the inclusion convention, nodes are represented by boxes, and the parent — child relationship is represented by inclusion of one box in another. The tip-over convention again represents nodes as boxes, and, like the classical convention, represents the parent — child relationship by lines between the boxes; however, we allow siblings to be arranged vertically rather than horizontally. For many of the cases which arise in visualization of trees (for example, binary trees with textual information at the leaves) we present polynomial time algorithms. However, the general problem of finding minimum size layouts for either of the new conventions is shown to be NP-hard.


Author(s):  
Zahra Behmanesh ◽  
Shirali Kheramine ◽  
Khosro Ramezani

Background and Purpose: Adolescence is considered as one of the most critical life periods since adolescents are being exposed to a variety of potential stimuli, whose inappropriate response to such stimuli would prevent their proper performance in society. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of choice theory-based group training on cognitive emotion regulation and parent-child relationships in male adolescents. Materials and Methods: The research method was experimental with a pretest-posttest-follow-up design and a control group. The statistical population included all male students of the senior -high school in Dogonbadan city in the academic year 2019. Using the multi-stage cluster sampling method, 30 samples were selected and randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (n=15 per group). The research instrument included the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and The Parent-Child Relationship Survey. The reality therapy intervention was performed on the experimental group for ten 90-minute sessions. The follow-up was performed after 60 days. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was then used to analyze the data. Results: The participants included 30 male adolescents, aged between 15 and 17 years old. The research findings indicated that the choice theory-based group training was effective in promoting cognitive emotion regulation (F= 27.39, P= 0.0001) and parent-child relationship (F= 44.32, P= 0.0001). Also, their effects were sustainable until the follow-up period (P= 0.0001). Conclusion: Choice theory-based group training, as a therapeutic and clinical intervention, can be used as an appropriate and effective technique to promote cognitive emotion regulation and parent-child relationships among adolescents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 3752-3772
Author(s):  
Kim Bastaits ◽  
Inge Pasteels

When thinking about custodial arrangements after a divorce, there has been a shift from sole custody (mainly by mothers) to joint physical custody after a divorce. In certain countries, joint physical custody has even become the primary, legal custodial arrangement. Joint physical custody, whether implemented in legislation or not, is believed to be in the best interests of the child, as children can shape a postdivorce relationship with both their mother and father. Nevertheless, many studies on joint physical custody focus only on child outcomes. This study aims to investigate (1) whether custodial arrangements matter in addition to the parental divorce for parent–child relationships and (2) whether joint physical custody provides a better framework for parent–child relationships than sole custody arrangements. The study adds to the existing literature by including both the mother–child relationship and the father–child relationship. Moreover, joint physical custody is not only compared to sole maternal custody, but also to sole paternal custody. Using a dyadic subsample of Belgian parents and children from the Divorce in Flanders data set ( N = 623), we compare two indicators of the parent–child relationship (parent–child communication and parenting) for children with married parents, with children in joint physical custody, sole maternal custody, and sole paternal custody. The results indicate that (1) the custodial arrangements after divorce affect parent–child relationships, in addition to the divorce, with regard to both open and problematic father–child communications and the support and control of children by mothers and fathers; and (2) joint physical custody, compared with sole custody (either by the mother or father), provides a better framework to shape a postdivorce parent–child relationship with both parents in terms of open communications and support.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1583-1603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Grazia Lo Cricchio ◽  
Alida Lo Coco ◽  
Charissa S. L. Cheah ◽  
Francesca Liga

Thirty mothers, ranging in age between 30 and 46 years, participated in seven focus groups aimed at analyzing perceptions and ideas of the characteristics of a good parent and parent–child relationship in southern Italy (Sicily). The discussions were transcribed and analyzed using the constant comparative analysis approach. Two major themes, discipline and affection, emerged from the discussions about the idea of a good parent, with seven further subthemes. In defining good parenting beliefs and practices, Sicilian mothers mostly believed that control, discipline, and demandingness were imperative and prioritized over warmth and responsiveness. Despite the importance given to demandingness, a good parent–child relationship was predominantly described as the result of a balance between love and control, mainly based on communication, confidence, and respect. Our findings were interpreted and discussed with consideration to the collectivistic and familistic nature of Sicilian society.


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