title: Test of a model of the effects of parental illness on youth and family functioning.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Parental illness (PI) may have adverse impacts on youth and family functioning. Research in this area has suffered from the absence of a guiding comprehensive framework. This study tested a conceptual model of the effects of PI on youth and family functioning derived from the Family Ecology Framework (FEF; Pedersen & Revenson, 2005).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 85 parents with multiple sclerosis and 127 youth completed questionnaires at Time 1 and 12 months later at Time 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural equation modeling results supported the FEF with regards to physical-illness disability. Specifically, the proposed mediators (role redistribution, stress, and stigma) were implicated in the processes that link parental disability to several domains of youth adjustment. The results suggest that the effects of parental depression (PD) are not mediated through these processes; rather, PD directly affects family functioning, which in turn mediates the effects onto youth adjustment. Family functioning further mediated between PD and youth well-being and behavioral-social difficulties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although results support the effects of parental-illness disability on youth and family functioning via the proposed mediational mechanisms, the additive effects of PD on youth physical and mental health occur through direct and indirect (via family functioning) pathways, respectively.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia. kenp@psy.uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Kenneth I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Pakenham
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult