Predictors of parenting behavior trajectories among families of young adolescents with and without spina bifida.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the utility of familial and parental variables in predicting trajectories of parenting behaviors among families of young adolescents with and without spina bifida (SB).


METHODS
Sixty-eight families with a child with SB and a demographically matched comparison group (CG) of 68 families of an able-bodied child participated. Observational and questionnaire assessments of parenting behavior were collected via home visits at three time points, as were reports of parent and family functioning.


RESULTS
Family conflict was negatively associated with adaptive parenting behavior at Time 1 (T1), but positively associated with adaptive parenting change. Although the direction of this effect was the same across both groups, findings were more robust for the SB sample. Among fathers of children with SB, parenting stress was positively associated with adaptive parenting at T1 but negatively associated with adaptive parenting change. In contrast, within the CG, paternal parenting stress was negatively associated with adaptive parenting at T1 but showed no enduring negative effects in longitudinal analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Family conflict and parenting stress were significant predictors of parenting behaviors and longitudinal parenting change. Findings are interpreted within a developmental context such that variables associated with maladaptive (or adaptive) parenting in the short run, may facilitate adaptive (or maladaptive) parenting over time based on young adolescents' changing developmental needs.
Greenley
Rachel Neff
RN
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, USA.
Holmbeck
Grayson N
GN
Rose
Brigid M
BM
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D012803:Sick Role; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000523:psychology*