How did it work? Who did it work for? Mediation in the context of a moderated prevention effect for children of divorce.
This study presents a reanalysis of data from an effective preventive intervention for children from divorced families to test mediation of program effects. The study involved 157 children, age 9-12 years, who were randomly assigned to a parenting program or a literature control condition. Program effects to reduce posttest internalizing problems were mediated through improvement in mother-child relationship quality. Program effects to reduce externalizing problems at posttest and 6 months were mediated through improvement in posttest parental methods of discipline and mother-child relationship quality. The study also describes a new methodology to test mediation of Program x Baseline Status interactions. Analyses demonstrate mediation effects primarily for children who began the program with poorer scores on discipline, mother-child relationship quality, and externalizing problems.
Program for Prevention Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. jenn.tein@asu.edu
Jenn-Yun
JY
Tein
Irwin N
IN
Sandler
David P
DP
MacKinnon
Sharlene A
SA
Wolchik
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D017008:Negotiating; D016487:Parenting; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires