Publication
Title
Financial stress, parent functioning and adolescent problem behavior : an actor-partner interdependence approach to family stress processes in low-, middle-, and high-income families
Author
Abstract
The family stress model proposes that financial stress experienced by parents is associated with problem behavior in adolescents. The present study applied an actorpartner interdependence approach to the family stress model and focused on low-, middle-, and high-income families to broaden our understanding of the pathways by which the financial stress of mothers and fathers are related to adolescent outcomes. The study uses dyadic data (N = 798 heterosexual couples) from the Relationship between Mothers, Fathers and Children study in which two-parent families with an adolescent between 11 and 17 years of age participated. Path-analytic results indicated that in each of the families the association between parents financial stress and problem behavior in adolescents is mediated through parents depressive symptoms, interparental conflict, and positive parenting. Family stress processes also appear to operate in different ways for low-, middle-, and high-income families. In addition to a higher absolute level of financial stress in low-income families, financial stress experienced by mothers and fathers in these families had significant direct and indirect effects on problem behavior in adolescents, while in middle- and high-income families only significant indirect effects were found. The financial stress of a low-income mother also had a more detrimental impact on her level of depressive feelings than it had on mothers in middle-income families. Furthermore, the study revealed gender differences in the pathways of mothers and fathers. Implications for research, clinical practice, and policy are also discussed.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Journal of youth and adolescence. - New York, N.Y., 1972, currens
Publication
New York, N.Y. : Springer , 2014
ISSN
0047-2891 [print]
1573-6601 [online]
DOI
10.1007/S10964-014-0159-Y
Volume/pages
43 :10 (2014) , p. 1752-1769
ISI
000342156500012
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Stress and mental health in families with different income levels: The second wave of a longitudinal multi-actor study
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 09.10.2014
Last edited 09.10.2023
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