title: Family structure and family processes in Mexican-American families.
abstract: Despite increases in single-parent families among Mexican Americans, few studies have examined the association of family structure and family adjustment. Utilizing a diverse sample of 738 Mexican-American families (21.7% single parent), the current study examined differences across family structure on early adolescent outcomes, family functioning, and parent-child relationship variables. Results revealed that early adolescents in single-parent families reported greater school misconduct, conduct disorder/oppositional deviant disorder, and major depressive disorder symptoms, and greater parent-child conflict than their counterparts in 2-parent families. Single-parent mothers reported greater economic hardship, depression, and family stress. Family stress and parent-child conflict emerged as significant mediators of the association between family structure and early adolescent outcomes, suggesting important processes linking Mexican-American single-parent families and adolescent adjustment.
authors.affiliation: School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA. katharine.zeiders@asu.edu
authors.forename: Katharine H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Zeiders
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Roosa
authors.forename: Jenn-Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Tein
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012574:Schools; D020954:Single-Parent Family / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014481:United States