The relationship between mutual family relations and child psychopathology.
The associations of the mutual mother-child, father-child, and mother-father relationship and various patterns of family relations with child psychopathology were investigated in a sample of 137 families referred to outpatient mental health services. Assessment of the relative association of the different family dyads showed that both the mother-child and the mother-father relationship were related to child problem behaviour. However, whereas the mother-child relationship was consistently more related to externalising behaviour, the mother-father relationship was particularly related to internalising behaviour. Our findings gave clear support for the cumulative risk model: having more negatively qualified relationships was associated with more problem behaviour. Furthermore, our results suggested a protective influence of the parent-child relationship: having one or two positive parent-child relationships was associated with less problem behaviour. No support was found for the cross-generational coalition hypothesis. Implications for future research are discussed.
Mathijssen
J J
JJ
Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Koot
H M
HM
Verhulst
F C
FC
De Bruyn
E E
EE
Oud
J H
JH
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010553:Personality Development; D012307:Risk Factors