A longitudinal study of social competence among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents: role of parental psychopathology, parental warmth, and self-regulation

Parental Alcohol Problems and Lack of Adult Support During Childhood-Consequences for Subjective and Objective Social Connection in Adulthood

INTRODUCTION

Parental alcohol problems may cause immediate and long-term harm in children. This study investigated the relationship between parental alcohol problems and adult social connection, and whether the absence of adult support during childhood compounded these relationships.

METHODS

We used cross-sectional data from 23,714 adults (> 18 years) who participated in the 2019 Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey. Parental alcohol problems were assessed using CAST-6. Social connection was measured using objective (participation in social activities) and subjective indicators (missing someone to be with, feeling excluded, isolated or lack of support). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to analyse associations between parental alcohol problems (with or without adult support) and adult social connection, adjusted for sex, age and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Individuals reporting parental alcohol problems had higher odds of poor social connection across all indicators compared to those without these experiences (odds ratios [OR] and 95% confidence intervals [CI] ranged from OR 1.14; CI 1.01-1.29 to OR 1.49; CI 1.26-1.76). These associations were notably stronger for those who also lacked adult support during childhood, particularly in subjective indicators of social connection, with OR ranging from 1.50; CI 1.36-1.67 to OR 4.02; CI 3.49-4.64.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Findings revealed associations between parental alcohol problems and lack of social connection in adulthood. The negative impact was amplified when adult support during childhood was lacking, particularly affecting the subjective measures of social connection. These findings highlight the long-term consequences of parental alcohol problems and underscore the potential protective role of adult support.

Adaptation of a couples intervention to promote coparenting and reduce hazardous drinking during transition to parenthood

INTRODUCTION

Hazardous drinking by fathers poses a significant risk for negative family interactions and child outcomes. The transition to parenthood may be a time when expectant parents are potentially motivated for health behavior change, suggesting that implementing preventive interventions during this period may be particularly effective. This article provides an overview of the rationale for an innovative prevention strategy incorporating alcohol-use intervention with a family-focused program.

METHOD

We describe the process of integration and adaptation of two evidence-based interventions beginning in pregnancy: (a) Family Foundations, a universal transition-to-parenthood intervention for couples to enhance coparenting and couple dyadic functioning, and (b) brief intervention to address alcohol use delivered using a couples-focused motivational interviewing style.

RESULTS

Lessons learned from pilot testing (conducted October 2020-March 2021) included the importance of softened framing of the discussions and language used around alcohol use given that parents were not specifically seeking treatment for alcohol use and the program was described as a parenting program that included discussion of health behaviors, including drinking. In addition, we found that evoking discussion and communication within dyads and supporting autonomy in decision making regarding alcohol use also facilitated engagement.

CONCLUSION

Pilot testing demonstrated the acceptability and feasibility of an adapted, integrated intervention program designed to strengthen coparenting skills and dyadic functioning and promote lower risk levels of alcohol use among couples during the transition to parenthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

A longitudinal examination of contributors to new parents' perception of their infant

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have examined contributors to personal growth (PG) following the birth of the first child. This study examines for the first time the role of PG as a potential mediator in the relationship between individual characteristics (bond with parents and experiences of parental loss) and parental perception of their infant (warmth, invasiveness). By focusing on PG, this study offers a novel perspective on how parental experiences and relationships influence early parent-child dynamics over time.

METHODS

We used data from a longitudinal study among new Israeli parents. Participants completed self-report questionnaires in three phases: Up to one year following the birth of their first child (n = 2,182); Six months later (n = 1,045); and after another six months (n = 811).

RESULTS

The study revealed associations between background variables and perceived infant's warmth and invasiveness over time. A cross-lag panel model revealed that parental care as reported in Phase 1 was linked to perceived warmth in Phase 1, whereas parental overprotection and parental loss, both reported in Phase 1 were linked to perceived invasiveness in Phase 1. PG mediated the association between parental care and perceived warmth over time.

CONCLUSIONS

This study sheds light on the significance of parental bond, experiences of parental loss, and personal growth in shaping parents' perception of their infants. The findings highlight the importance of targeted support programmes to promote positive parent-infant relationships, emphasising the need for further longitudinal research to understand the dynamics of these relationships over time.

Exploring perceptions of genetic risk and the transmission of substance use disorders

BACKGROUND

Substance use disorders (SUDs) have been consistently shown to exhibit moderate intergenerational continuity (1-3). While much research has examined genetic and social influences on addiction, less attention has been paid to clients' and lay persons' perceptions of genetic influences on the heritability of SUD (4) and implications for treatment.

METHODS

For this qualitative study, twenty-six structured Working Model of the Child Interviews (WMCI) were conducted with mothers receiving inpatient SUD treatment. These interviews were thematically analyzed for themes related to maternal perceptions around intergenerational transmission of substance use behaviours.

RESULTS

Findings show that over half of the mothers in this sample were preoccupied with their children's risk factors for addictions. Among this group, 29% spontaneously expressed concerns about their children's genetic risk for addiction, 54% shared worries about their children's propensity for addiction without mentioning the word gene or genetic. Additionally, 37% had challenges in even discussing their children's future when prompted. These concerns mapped onto internal working models of attachment in unexpected ways, with parents who were coded with balanced working models being more likely to discuss intergenerational risk factors and parents with disengaged working models displaying difficulties in discussing their child's future.

CONCLUSION

This research suggests that the dominant discourse around the brain-disease model of addictions, in its effort to reduce stigma and self-blame, may have unintended downstream consequences for parents' mental models about their children's risks for future addiction. Parents receiving SUD treatment, and the staff who deliver it, may benefit from psychoeducation about the intergenerational transmission of SUD as part of treatment.

Prenatal, perinatal and parental risk factors for autism spectrum disorder in China: a case- control study

BACKGROUND

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is heritable neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), but environmental risk factors have also been suggested to a play a role in its development. Prenatal, perinatal and parental factors have been associated with an increased risk of ASD in children. The aim of the present study was to explore the prenatal, perinatal, and parenting risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from Beijing, China by comparing them with typically developing (TD) children.

METHODS

A sample of 151 ASD children's parents who from rehabilitation institutions in Beijing were enrolled in this study, and an additional 151 children from kindergartens in Beijing were recruited as a control group (child age: mean = 4.4 years). TD children were matched according to age, sex and maternal education. We explored the maternal AQ (Autism Spectrum Quotient) scores (mean:19.40-19.71, no significant difference between two groups) to referring the genetic baseline. This study evaluated 17 factors with unadjusted and adjusted analyses.

RESULTS

Birth asphyxia was associated with a more than a thirteen-fold higher risk of ASD (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 13.42). Breastfeeding difficulties were associated with a higher risk of ASD(AOR = 3.46). Parenting influenced the risk of ASD, with low responding (LR) and harsh or neglectful parenting associated with a higher risk of ASD in offspring (AOR = 2.37 for LR, AOR = 3.42 for harsh parenting and AOR = 3.01 for neglectful parenting). Maternal fever during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of ASD in offspring (AOR = 3.81).

CONCLUSIONS

Many factors were associated with ASD in offspring. Further assessment is needed to elucidate the role of modifiable environmental factors to inform prevention strategies.

Relationships of internet gaming engagement, history, and maladaptive cognitions and adolescent internet gaming disorder: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study tested the mediation effect of maladaptive cognition of internet gaming and moderation effect of internet gaming history in the relationship between internet gaming engagement and internet gaming disorder in adolescents.

METHOD

A total of 2,902 secondary school students were surveyed in Hong Kong from February 2021 to December 2021. The proposed moderated mediation model was tested by PROCESS.

RESULTS

Internet gaming engagement, internet gaming history and maladaptive cognition were positively associated with internet gaming disorder symptoms. Maladaptive cognition significantly mediated the association between internet gaming engagement and internet gaming disorder symptoms in both males and females. In addition, a significant interaction between internet gaming engagement and internet gaming history was detected among females but not for males, namely, the positive relationships of internet gaming engagement with maladaptive cognition and internet gaming disorder symptoms were weaker with the increased years of internet gaming.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides a better understanding of the underlying mechanism and boundary condition in the association between internet gaming engagement and internet gaming disorder among adolescents. Preventing interventions should aim to reduce maladaptive cognition and internet gaming engagement. Interventions targeting internet gaming engagement maybe more effective among female gamers who are beginners and all male gamers.

Associations of Passive Drinking with Perceived Health Status, Mental Health, and Family Wellbeing in Hong Kong Chinese Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Passive drinking is prevalent in adolescents worldwide, but its prevalence and harm are understudied. Secondary students (n = 5840, grades 7–12) from 23 selected schools in Hong Kong participated in the survey from 2015–16. Students reported the harm of passive drinking, perceived health status (Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and Perceived Stress Scale-4), perceived happiness, and family health, happiness, and harmony in the questionnaire. The associations were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression (odds ratio, OR) and linear regression (unstandardized coefficient, b), adjusted for confounders. It was found that 29.1% (95% CI 27.8 to 30.5%) of students experienced passive drinking in the past 30 days. The past 30-day parental passive drinking was associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms (AOR 1.63, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.10), stress (adjusted b 0.76, 0.42 to 1.10), and lower level of perceived happiness (adjusted b −0.52, −0.72 to −0.33). The past 30-day parental passive drinking was associated with a lower level of family health (adjusted b −1.39, 95% CI −1.66 to −1.11), family happiness (adjusted b −1.36, −1.64 to −1.08), and family harmony (adjusted b −1.40, −1.70 to −1.10). Passive drinking was associated with poorer mental health, family wellbeing, and a lower level of happiness among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.

Examining a Conceptual Model of Maternal and Paternal Warmth, Emotion Regulation and Social Competence among Preadolescent Children in Malaysia

Although parental warmth has been shown to be related to children's social competence, the mediating role of preadolescent children's emotion regulation in this context has been less explored, particularly in Asian cultures. Thus, this study examined the role of emotion regulation as a mediator in the relationship between parental warmth (i.e., paternal and maternal warmth) and social competence among preadolescent children in Malaysia. Preadolescent children (N = 720; Mage = 10.95; SD = 0.59; 58.8% female) completed self-administered questionnaires. Results of correlation analysis showed that higher levels of paternal and maternal warmth were associated with greater emotion regulation in preadolescent children and a greater level of social competence. However, analysis of structural equation modeling revealed that emotion regulation significantly mediated only the relationship between maternal warmth and social competence. These findings underscored the importance of maternal warmth in promoting Malaysian preadolescent children's social competence as well as their emotion regulation as a mediating pathway. This study also highlights the direct effect of paternal warmth on preadolescents' social competence. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed.

A mediational analysis of adverse experiences in childhood and quality of life in adulthood

OBJECTIVES

This study examined associations of three prevalent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - parents' problematic alcohol use (PPAU), parental separation/divorce, and lack of support from a trusted adult-with adult quality of life (QoL), and potential mediators of associations.

METHODS

Data were from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway that assessed ACEs, QoL, and potential mediators: enduring perceptions of childhood hardships (Difficult Childhood Questionnaire; DCQ), current mental distress, and current social isolation. Latent regression analyses examined potential mediators.

RESULTS

Each ACE was positively associated with perceptions of childhood as difficult (higher DCQ scores). In turn, ACEs were negatively associated with adult QoL through indirect effects. Lack of support from a trusted adult had the strongest negative association with adult QoL, compared to PPAU and parental separation/divorce. The association between the ACEs and QoL was explained through the mediators of mental distress and social isolation.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the examined ACEs, lack of support from a trusted adult had the strongest negative impact on adult QoL. Adult support to vulnerable children could potentially ameliorate adult consequences of ACEs. In addition, adults reporting difficulties due to childhood adversities may benefit from therapeutic interventions that address both psychological distress and isolation.

Teen Dating Violence in a High-Risk Sample: The Protective Role of Maternal Acceptance

Exposure to marital conflict has been identified as a risk factor for teen dating violence (TDV). Given the high rates of marital conflict observed in families affected by paternal alcoholism, children of alcoholic fathers may be at increased risk for TDV. Positive parenting behaviors are protective against TDV in general, but whether they can attenuate the effects of exposure to marital conflict is uncertain. According to social learning theory, adolescents exposed to both positive and conflictual parenting may perceive aggression to be part of a normal and loving relationship and hence be at risk for TDV. In contrast, attachment theory would posit that positive parenting would better enable youth to regulate negative emotions and would be protective against TDV. The current study used prospective data to examine whether maternal acceptance buffered the relationship between exposure to marital conflict in early adolescence and TDV in late adolescence among a sample of adolescents at risk for TDV due to parental alcoholism. Adolescents (N = 227, 50% female, 89% European American), half of whom had an alcoholic parent, completed surveys in early (eighth grade) and late adolescence (11th and 12th grades). They reported on exposure to marital conflict, perceptions of maternal acceptance, and involvement in TDV. Regression analyses revealed that exposure to marital conflict in early adolescence was predictive of TDV in late adolescence. However, an examination of the interaction between exposure to marital conflict and maternal acceptance indicated that at high levels of marital conflict and maternal acceptance, exposure to marital conflict no longer predicted TDV. Findings suggest that social modeling alone is not sufficient for understanding the intergenerational transmission of violence. A multipronged approach to violence prevention among high-risk families targeting both parental and parent-child relationships is recommended.

Maternal Bonding in Early Infancy Predicts Childrens' Social Competences in Preschool Age

Background: There are many studies on mother-child-bonding with little theoretical doubt that better bonding may have a positive effect on further social development. However, there is hardly any empirical evidence. In particular, there is a lack prospective longitudinal studies. Methods: As part of a longitudinal study, bonding was assessed in a community sample of 97 healthy mothers using the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ) 6 weeks after birth of their child. Social competencies in the offspring were assessed using the Self- and Other-oriented Social Competencies (SOCOMP) at 5.5 years of age. A potential correlation between bonding and social competencies was tested using Spearman Rank Correlation. Results: Retention rate over 5.5 years was 77.23%. Lower Maternal Bonding Impairment Scores 6 weeks postnatally were positively related to childrens' social competences at 5.5 years of age. Conclusion: The present data confirm a positive and long-term influence of bonding on social skills and provide further evidence of the importance of parent child bonding for child development in general. This result should give reason to further investigate this relationship in depth, causally and at later points in time.

A meta-analytic approach to the association between inhibitory control and parent-reported behavioral adjustment in typically-developing children: Differentiating externalizing and internalizing behavior problems

Impairments in inhibitory control (IC) are traditionally seen as a vital aspect in the emergence and course of maladaptive behavior across early childhood. However, it is currently unclear whether this view applies to both the externalizing and internalizing domain of parent-reported behavioral adjustment. Furthermore, past (meta-analytic) developmental research and theory characterizing this association have largely neglected the vast heterogeneity of IC measures and conceptualizations. The present meta-analyses examined the association of IC with parent-reported externalizing (N = 3160, 21 studies) and internalizing (N = 1758, 12 studies) behavior problems, assessed with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), in non-clinical populations of children aged 2-8 years. They further investigated the moderating effects of a priori IC categorization, according to a recently proposed two-factor model of IC ("Strength/Endurance" account, Simpson & Carroll, 2019). In line with previous research in the clinical domain, the current results corroborate the notion of a robust, but small association between IC and externalizing behavior problems (r = -0.11) in early childhood. However, although frequently proposed in the literature, no significant linear association could be identified with internalizing behavior problems. Furthermore, in both meta-analyses, no significant moderating effects of IC categorization could be revealed. These findings enhance our knowledge about the cognitive underpinnings of early-emerging maladaptive behavior, indicating that different subtypes of IC are statistically related with externalizing, but not internalizing behavior problems. Overall, the small association of IC ability with behavior problems in non-clinical populations provokes broader questions about the role of IC in behavioral adjustment.

Risk and Protective Pathways to Peer Victimization from Infancy to Adolescence: Role of Fathers

This study examined the developmental pathways from fathers' psychopathology in early childhood to child peer victimization (bullying and cyber victimization) in late adolescence via family relationships and early adolescent psychosocial functioning (anxiety, emotion regulation, social problems). A conceptual model with pathways through inter-parental aggression and fathers' parenting (harshness and sensitivity) was tested. Participants were 227 families (51% female children recruited as infants) who participated in a longitudinal study examining the role of parental alcohol problems and associated risks on developmental and family processes from infancy to late adolescence. Multi-method (observational, parent report, adolescent report) assessments of family processes and child outcomes were conducted across all time points. Fathers' alcohol problems and depressive symptoms in early childhood was prospectively associated with inter-parental aggression in middle childhood and social problems in early adolescence. For boys only, early adolescent social problems were predictive of bullying victimization. Fathers' antisocial behavior in early childhood was associated with less sensitive parenting in middle childhood. Fathers' sensitivity in middle childhood was protective, being associated with lower cyber victimization in late adolescence. Fathers' sensitivity was also associated with higher emotion regulation in early adolescence; however, counter to expectations, higher emotion regulation was associated with more bullying and cyber victimization. Findings shed light on differences in the etiological pathways to bullying and cyber victimization, as well as how distinct forms of paternal psychopathology in early childhood associate with family relationships, child adjustment, and vulnerability to peer victimization in late adolescence.

The Applicability and Performance of Tools Used to Assess the Father-Offspring Relationship in Relation to Parental Psychopathology and Offspring Outcomes

Introduction: Father-infant interactions are important for optimal offspring outcomes. Moreover, paternal perinatal psychopathology is associated with psychological and developmental disturbances in the offspring, and this risk may increase when both parents are unwell. While, the father-offspring relationship is a plausible mechanism of risk transmission, there is presently no "gold standard" tool for assessing the father-offspring relationship. Therefore, we systematically searched and reviewed the application and performance of tools used to assess the father-offspring relationship from pregnancy to 24-months postnatal. Methods: Four electronic databases (including MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Maternity and Infant Care Database, and CINAHL) were searched. Selected articles included evidence of father-offspring relationship assessment in relation to parental perinatal psychopathology and/or offspring outcomes. Data was extracted and synthesized according to the following: (i) evidence supporting the performance of tools in terms of their psychometric properties when applied in the context of fathers, (ii) tool specific characteristics, and (iii) study specific methodological aspects in which the tool was embedded. Results: Of the 30,500 records eligible for screening, 38 unique tools used to assess the father-offspring relationship were identified, from 61 studies. Ten tools were employed in the context of paternal psychopathology, three in the context of maternal psychopathology, and seven in the context of both maternal and paternal psychopathology, while nine tools were applied in the context of offspring outcomes only. The remaining nine tools were used in the context of both parental psychopathology (i.e., paternal, and/or maternal psychopathology) and offspring outcomes. Evidence supporting the psychometric robustness of the extracted observational, self-report and interview-based tools was generally limited. Most tools were originally developed in maternal samples-with few tools demonstrating evidence of content validation specific to fathers. Furthermore, various elements influencing tool performance were recognized-including variation in tool characteristics (e.g., relationship dimensions assessed, assessment mode, and scoring formats) and study specific methodological aspects, (e.g., setting and study design, sample characteristics, timing and nature of parental psychopathology, and offspring outcomes). Conclusion: Given the strengths and limitations of each mode of assessment, future studies may benefit from a multimethod approach to assessing the father-offspring relationship, which may provide a more accurate assessment than one method alone.

Emotional warmth and cyberbullying perpetration attitudes in college students: Mediation of trait gratitude and empathy

Based on Social Learning Theory and the General Aggression Model, this study aims to explore the relationship between parental emotional warmth and the cyberbullying perpetration attitudes of college students and the mediating roles of trait gratitude and empathy. Using the stratified cluster random sampling method, 1198 college students (716 boys and 482 girls with an average age of 20.44 years) were tested using the subscale of the Parenting Styles Instrument, the Basic Empathy Scale, the Gratitude Questionnaire-6, and the Cyberbullying Attitude Questionnaire. Results: Emotional warmth, trait gratitude, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy all demonstrated significantly positive relationships with each other (rs from .175 to .403, ps < 0.01) and negative correlations with cyberbullying perpetration attitudes (rs from -.137 to -.306, ps < 0.01). Emotional warmth can exert an impact on cyberbullying perpetration attitudes through three fully mediating paths: the mediating roles of trait gratitude (41.91% of the total effect), cognitive empathy (14.5% of the total effect), and the chain mediating roles of trait gratitude–cognitive empathy (19.5% of the total effect). The results may have important implications for future studies to develop effective interventions for cyberbullying.

Antecedents of fathers' perception of child behavior at child age 12 months

This study investigates whether fathers' adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and attachment style reported during pregnancy predict fathers' perception of child behavior assessed 12 months postpartum, expressed by the Parenting Stress Index (PSI), Child Domain. Prospective fathers (N = 835) were recruited to "The Little in Norway (LiN) study" (Moe & Smith) at nine well-baby clinics in Norway, with data collection composed of five time points during pregnancy and two time points postpartum (6 and 12 months). The main analyses included linear regression, path-analysis modeling, and intraclass correlation based on mixed effects modeling. First, linear regression analyses showed that neither fathers' ACE nor attachment style significantly predicted perceived child behavior postpartum directly. Furthermore, path analyses showed that ACE and less secure attachment style (especially avoidant attachment) measured early in pregnancy strongly predicted negatively perceived child behavior, mediated by fathers' mental health symptoms during pregnancy and partner disharmony postpartum. Second, intraclass correlation analyses showed that fathers' perceived child behavior showed substantial stability between 6 and 12 months postpartum. Family interventions beginning in pregnancy may be most beneficial given that fathers' early experiences and perceptions of attachment in pregnancy were associated with later partner disharmony and stress.

Living Fatherhood in Adults Addicted to Substances: A Qualitative Study of Fathers in Psycho-Rehabilitative Drug Addiction Treatment for Heroin and Cocaine

The research aims to investigate the emotional experiences of the individuals who use drugs in terms of their parenting role as father, within a rehabilitative context. The study aims to analyze how dependence affects the exercise of the parental role, specifically paternity, with the aim of offering an overview of the father-son relationship while considering the possible limitations that characterize those who are forced to live parenting in an atypical way. It is necessary to help individuals who use drugs to be able to help them in life with the goal of establish a better parenting awareness and a good relationship with their father and their children. The research work made use of qualitative tools, specifically semi-structured interview, which was administered to a sample of 18 fathers that were treated in a rehabilitation clinic for individuals who use drugs. The used semi-structured interview made it possible to analyze the perception of participants about their paternity, the quality of the relationship with their father and their children, and the influence that the narcotic substance has generated in the relationship with their father and with their children.

Effects of familial and non-familial warmth during childhood and adolescence on sexual-orientation disparities in alcohol use trajectories and disorder during emerging adulthood

BACKGROUND

We investigated sexual-orientation differences in typologies of self-reported familial and non-familial warmth in childhood (before age 11) and adolescence (ages 11-17); and tested whether warmth explained sexual minority emerging adults' (ages 18-25) heightened odds of having heavier alcohol use trajectories (AUTs) and heightened risk for past-year alcohol use disorder (AUD) compared to completely heterosexuals.

METHODS

Using self-reported data from the U.S.-based Growing Up Today Study cohort, latent class analyses identified typologies of familial and non-familial warmth during childhood and adolescence. Multivariable regression models tested our objectives.

RESULTS

Six warmth classes emerged, including: High-High (i.e., high familial and high non-familial warmth, respectively); High-Moderate; Moderate-Moderate; Moderate-Occasional; Occasional-Occasional; and Low-Low. Among women, sexual minorities had higher odds than completely heterosexuals of being in the Moderate-Moderate, Moderate-Occasional, and Occasional-Occasional versus the High-High warmth class. There were not significant associations between sexual orientation and warmth classes for men. Lower warmth classes were generally associated with greater past-year AUD, and mediated heightened disparities in AUD for sexual minority women versus completely heterosexual women (4.3% mediated), but not among men. Warmth classes were generally unassociated with AUTs, and did not mediate sexual-orientation differences in AUTs.

CONCLUSIONS

Lower warmth was associated with greater alcohol-related problems, but not alcohol use itself. Warmth explained a small proportion of AUD disparities for sexual minority women-but not for men.

The relation between behavioral problems and social competence: A correlational Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that children who display behavioral problems also tend to display low social competence. The relation does however vary according to type of behavior being measured, as well as demographic characteristics of the respondent. The present meta-analysis examined the correlation between different types of behavioral problems and social competence among children aged 3-13, and investigated possible moderators in this relation.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted for English language studies from January 2008 to January 2018 that reported correlations between three types of behavioral problems (i.e., externalizing behaviors, conduct problems, or aggression) and two types of social competence (i.e., social competence or social skills). The studies included reports from parents and teachers, or both as a dyad. The review included data from 54 independent studies and a total of 46,828 participants. Effect sizes were estimated using a random effects approach and moderator analyses between subsets of categorical variables were tested by the significant Q test.

RESULTS

Results showed an overall correlation between behavioral problems and social competence of medium effect size (r = -.42, p < .01). Moderation analyses indicated no significant differences for different types of behavioral problems or social competence. However, a significant difference was found with regard to type of respondent; the correlation was significantly higher when both measures were reported by the same respondent (teacher or parent) compared to when measures were reported by parent-teacher as a dyad.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings summarized and quantified a robust negative correlation between behavioral problems and social competence. The results indicate that intervention programs targeting problem behaviors in children would benefit from reducing behavioral problems and in concert, increase social competence to help children with emerging or present problem behaviors.

Longitudinal Relationships Between Parent Factors, Children's Bullying, and Victimization Behaviors

Longitudinal data from NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development tested direct, indirect and reciprocal effects of maternal depressive symptoms, stress/support factors on child bullying and peer victimization through mother-child relationship quality at grades 3, 5, 6. Data from 828 mother-child dyads indicated small significant effects of some hypothesized pathways, including a small direct effect of maternal depressive symptoms at grade 3 on peer victimization at grade 5, but not on bullying behaviors. Mother-child relationship quality at grade 5 negatively predicted bullying at grade 6, but not peer victimization. There were small effects of bullying behaviors at grade 5 on decreased mother-child relationship quality at grade 6. Maternal employment at grade 3 predicted decreased bullying behaviors at grade 6 through mother-child relationship quality at grade 5. Findings are relevant for parent inclusive research and approaches to anti-bully intervention strategies and prevention policies.

Linking Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) constructs to developmental psychopathology: The role of self-regulation and emotion knowledge in the development of internalizing and externalizing growth trajectories from ages 3 to 10

Identifying Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) constructs in early childhood is essential for understanding etiological pathways of psychopathology. Our central goal was to identify early emotion knowledge and self-regulation difficulties across different RDoC domains and examine how they relate to typical versus atypical symptom trajectories between ages 3 and 10. Particularly, we assessed potential contributions of children's gender, executive control, delay of gratification, and regulation of frustration, emotion recognition, and emotion understanding at age 3 to co-occurring patterns of internalizing and externalizing across development. A total of 238 3-year-old boys and girls were assessed using behavioral tasks and parent reports and reassessed at ages 5 and 10 years. Results indicated that very few children developed "pure" internalizing or externalizing symptoms relative to various levels of co-occurring symptoms across development. Four classes of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems were identified: low, low-moderate, rising, and severe-decreasing trajectories. Three-year-old children with poor executive control but high emotion understanding were far more likely to show severe-decreasing than low/low-moderate class co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptom patterns. Child gender and poor executive control differentiated children in rising versus low trajectories. Implications for early intervention targeting self-regulation of executive control are discussed.

The E Is in the G: Gene-Environment-Trait Correlations and Findings From Genome-Wide Association Studies

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have shown that pleiotropy is widespread (i.e., the same genetic variants affect multiple traits) and that complex traits are polygenic (i.e., affected by many genetic variants with very small effect sizes). However, despite the growing number of GWASs, the possible contribution of gene-environment correlations (rGEs) to pleiotropy and polygenicity has been mostly ignored. rGEs can lead to environmentally mediated pleiotropy or gene-environment-trait correlations (rGETs), given that an environment that is affected by one genetically influenced phenotype, can in turn affect a different phenotype. By adding correlations with environmentally mediated genetic variants, rGETs can contribute to polygenicity. Socioeconomic status (SES) and the experience of stressful life events may, for example, be involved in rGETs. Both are genetically influenced and have been associated with a myriad of physical and mental disorders. As a result, GWASs of these disorders may find the genetic correlates of SES and stressful life events. Consequently, some of the genetic correlates of physical and mental disorders may be modified by public policy that affects environments such as SES and stressful life events. Thus, identifying rGETs can shed light on findings from GWASs and have important implications for public health.

Innovations in Child Welfare Interventions for Caregivers with Substance Use Disorders and Their Children

Families who enter the Child Welfare System (CWS) as a result of a caregiver's substance use fare worse at every stage from investigation to removal to reunification (Marsh et. al 2007). Intervening with caregivers with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) and their children poses unique challenges related to the structure and focus of the current CWS. Research demonstrates that caregivers with SUDs are at a greater risk for maladaptive parenting practices, including patterns of insecure attachment and difficulties with attunement and responsiveness (Suchman, 2006). Caregivers with SUDs have also often experienced early adversity and trauma. However, traditional addiction services generally offer limited opportunities to focus on parenting or trauma, and traditional parenting programs rarely address the special needs of parents with SUDs. This article details four innovative interventions that integrate trauma-informed addiction treatments with parenting for families involved in the child welfare system. Common mechanisms for change across programs are identified as critical components for intervention. This work suggests the need for a paradigm shift in how cases involving caregivers with substance use disorders are approached in the child welfare system.

Alcohol and parenthood: An integrative analysis of the effects of transition to parenthood in three Australasian cohorts

AIMS

To determine the extent to which the transition to parenthood protects against heavy and problematic alcohol consumption in young men and women.

DESIGN

Integrated participant-level data analysis from three population-based prospective Australasian cohort studies.

SETTING

General community; participants from the Australian Temperament Study, the Christchurch Health and Development Study, and the Victorian Adolescent Health Cohort Study.

MEASUREMENTS

Recent binge drinking, alcohol abuse/dependence and number of standard drinks consumed per occasion.

FINDINGS

4015 participants (2151 females; 54%) were assessed on four occasions between ages 21 and 35. Compared to women with children aged <12 months, women who had not transitioned to parenthood were more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence (fully adjusted risk ratio [RR] 3.5; 95% CI 1.5-7.9) and to report recent binge drinking (RR 3.0; 95% CI 2.1-4.3). The proportion of women meeting the criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence and/or binge drinking increased with the age of participants' youngest child, as did the mean number of standard drinks consumed on each occasion (1.8 if the youngest child was <1 year of age vs. 3.6 for 5+ years of age). Associations between parenthood and male drinking behaviour were considerably weaker.

CONCLUSIONS

For most women in their twenties and thirties, parenting a child <1 year of age was associated with reduced alcohol consumption. However, this protective effect diminished after 12 months with drinking levels close to pre-parenthood levels after five years. There was little change in male drinking with the transition to parenthood.

Conceptualization and Measurement of Parent Emotion Socialization among Mothers in Substance Abuse Treatment

The current study examined emotion socialization behaviors within a clinical sample of substance-dependent mothers. Interviews were conducted with N=74 mothers in substance abuse treatment (outpatient and residential with or without opiate agonist medication). Each mother had a biological child between the ages of 3-8 years. We examined the factor structure of a widely-used emotion socialization measure (Coping with Children's Negative Emotions Scale) and included a novel subscale to capture the level of consistency of maternal reactions to children's emotions as a unique and salient component of emotion socialization. We found that, overall, mothers reported engaging in "emotion-coaching" styles of socialization, involving more consistent and supportive than non-supportive reactions to children's negative emotions, consistent with general population studies. However, compared to community sample mothers, substance-dependent mothers reported significantly greater levels of both supportive and non-supportive reactions to children's negative emotions, perhaps reflecting over-involved emotion socialization behaviors. The context of maternal drug use negatively impacted how well mothers balanced these types of reactions, such that mothers engaged in significantly higher levels of non-supportive and inconsistent reactions during periods of problematic drug use compared to periods of sobriety. These findings underscore the need to consider contextual risk as a predictor of emotion socialization and suggest that emotion socialization behaviors vary both within and across such contexts. Implications of this work highlight the importance of examining consistency as a characteristic of emotion socialization in its own right, particularly within families impacted by parental drug use and related contexts of high risk.

Social competence among children of alcoholic and nonalcoholic parents

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A child's social competence depends on a number of factors including family atmosphere. Parental alcoholism effects the development of child directly or indirectly. Children of alcoholics (COAs) may have lower social competence. Addressing this problem at the earliest can significantly reduce the problems in future. The objective of the study is to compare the social competence between COAs and non-COA.

METHODS

A cross-sectional comparative study design was used. The study was conducted at a selected government high school located in Bengaluru urban. One hundred COA and 100 non-COA were recruited for the study by using simple random sampling technique. Children of Alcoholic Screening Test (modified) and Social Competence Scale were used in the study.

RESULTS

Results show that there is statistically significant difference between COAs and non-COAs with regard to prosocial attitude, social competition, social leadership, social tolerance, social maturity, social skills, and overall skills.

CONCLUSION

The study concludes that COAs have low level of social competence.

Where's Dad? The Importance of Integrating Fatherhood and Parenting Programming into Substance Use Treatment for Men

Large numbers of men enter substance use disorder treatment each year, yet very little attention is paid to the fatherhood and parenting status of these men. Substance use treatment programs rarely incorporate a parenting component into their treatment planning, despite increased success of women's treatment programs that focus on gender and motherhood. This paper provides: 1) a review of the literature on the fathering of substance using men, what has been learned from substance use disorder treatment for mothers, and the implications for children and families; 2) pilot quantitative and qualitative outcomes on implementation of a fatherhood focused intervention for men in a residential substance use treatment program; and 3) recommendations for the application of these findings for fathers in substance use disorder treatment and the implications of program modifications and increased focus on fathers for child welfare.

Sleep and behavioral control in earlier life predicted resilience in young adulthood: A prospective study of children of alcoholics and controls

AIMS

Children of alcoholics (COAs) are at higher risk for developing an alcohol use disorder and substance-related problems than non-COAs. This study examined (i) the relationships between sleep rhythmicity in childhood (aged 3-5) and behavioral control in adolescence (aged 9-14) and (ii) whether sleep rhythmicity and behavioral control predicted resilience in COAs in emerging adulthood (aged 21-26). Resilience was defined as successful adaptation in spite of adversity. Resilience among COAs was operationalized in three different ways (i) absence of alcohol disorder diagnoses, (ii) absence of alcohol and drug related problems, (iii) a continuous latent variable measured by depressive symptoms, work satisfaction and relationship satisfaction.

DESIGN

A prospective, longitudinal study of children assessed from early childhood (ages 3-5) to emerging adulthood (ages 21-26).

SETTING

A community study of families at high risk for alcoholism and matched controls conducted in a 4-county area in the Midwest.

PARTICIPANTS

715 children (75% children of alcoholics, 29% female).

MEASUREMENT

Data on sleep were gathered by the Dimensions of Temperament Survey (DOTS) and Child Behavior Checklist. Behavioral Control was measured by Child and Adult Q-sort. Substance use data were collected by Drinking and Drug History - Youth form.

FINDINGS

Structural equation modeling analyses indicated that higher rhythmicity of sleep, lower level of tiredness and infrequent sleep difficulties predicted higher behavioral control in adolescence, which in turn predicted two resilience outcomes in young adulthood. Behavioral control significantly mediated the effect of childhood sleep rhythmicity and resilience. No group differences between COAs and controls were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Good sleep and higher self-regulation act as resource factors for young adults, regardless of parent alcoholism status.

Parental brain-derived neurotrophic factor genotype, child prosociality, and their interaction as predictors of parents' warmth

BACKGROUND

Parental warmth has been associated with various child behaviors, from effortful control to callous-unemotional traits. Factors that have been shown to affect parental warmth include heritability and child behavior. However, there is limited knowledge about which specific genes are involved, how they interact with child behavior, how they affect differential parenting, and how they affect fathers. We examined what affects paternal and maternal warmth by focusing on the child's prosocial behavior and parents' genotype, specifically a Valine to Methionine substitution at codon 66 in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene.

METHODS

Data was available from a sample of 6.5 year-old twins, consisting of 369 mothers and 663 children and 255 fathers and 458 children. Self-reports were used to assess mothers' and fathers' warmth. Child prosociality was assessed with the other-parent report and experimental assessments.

RESULTS

Mothers' warmth was not affected by their BDNF genotype, neither as a main effect nor in an interaction with child prosociality. Fathers with the Met allele scored higher on warmth. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between fathers' BDNF genotype and child prosociality. For fathers with the Met allele there was a positive association between warmth and child prosociality. Conversely, for fathers with the Val/Val genotype there was no association between warmth and child prosociality. Results were repeated longitudinally in a subsample with data on age 8-9 years. A direct within family analysis showed that fathers with the Met allele were more likely than Val/Val carriers to exhibit differential parenting toward twins who differed in their prosocial behavior. The same pattern of findings was found with mother-rated and experimentally assessed prosociality.

CONCLUSIONS

These results shed light on the genetic and environmental underpinnings of paternal behavior and differential parenting.

Review of Teenlink: A health service for children and adolescents of parents with substance use

AIM

To evaluate Teenlink, a wide-ranging medical and psychological health service addressing the needs of children and adolescents in substance-using families, who are at increased risk of developmental and psychosocial problems.

METHODS

Retrospective record review of 124 children, from 92 families seen over a 13 year period.

RESULTS

Polysubstance use and mental illness were common amongst parents. Children often presented with emotional and behavioural problems. Teenlink provided parenting skills, individual and family work, medical care, case management, advocacy, collaboration and education with adult drug and alcohol services.

CONCLUSIONS

The chronic and complex nature of parental addiction, need for ongoing support and tailored service utilisation, reflected the length of engagement.

Maternal Child Sexual Abuse Is Associated With Lower Maternal Warmth Toward Daughters but Not Sons

Mothers with a history of child sexual abuse report less warmth toward their children, but whether this association differs by child gender is unknown. We examined the association of maternal child sexual abuse and warmth across child gender, accounting for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and child physical abuse. We verbally administered self-report measures to a cross-sectional sample of 154 mothers with a child between 8 and 12 years old. Eighty-five mothers based warmth responses on a son, and 69 on a daughter. We conducted a hierarchical multiple regression, including child gender, maternal child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and 4 two-way interaction terms with child gender. Maternal depression predicted decreased warmth, regardless of child gender, and maternal child sexual abuse predicted decreased warmth, but only toward daughters. Given previous research suggesting that maternal warmth predicts child well-being, the current finding may represent an important avenue of intergenerational transmission of risk in girls.

Maternal buffering of fear-potentiated startle in children and adolescents with trauma exposure

Parental availability influences fear expression and learning across species, but the effect of maternal buffering on fear learning in humans is unknown. Here we investigated the effect of maternal availability during fear conditioning in a group of children (ages 8-10) and adolescents (ages 11-13) from a low-income population with a range of trauma exposure. Acoustic startle response data were collected to measure fear-potentiated startle (FPS) in 104 participants. A total of 62 participants were tested with the mother available and 42 when the mother was not in the testing room. We observed that maternal availability during fear conditioning interacted with age to affect FPS discrimination between CS+ and CS-. In line with previous findings suggesting an absence of maternal buffering in adolescents, fear discrimination was affected by maternal availability only in children. Second, we observed that the effect of maternal buffering on FPS discrimination in children was not influenced by maternally reported warmth. In conclusion, we demonstrated that maternal availability improved discrimination in children, regardless of the quality of the relationship. Adolescents discriminated irrespective of maternal status, suggesting that childhood may be a sensitive period for environmental influences on key processes such as learning of danger and safety signals.

Externalizing symptoms, effortful control, and intrusive parenting: A test of bidirectional longitudinal relations during early childhood

At approximately 30, 42, and 54 months of age (N = 231), the relations among children's externalizing symptoms, intrusive maternal parenting, and children's effortful control (EC) were examined. Both intrusive parenting and low EC have been related to psychopathology, but children's externalizing problems and low EC might affect the quality of parenting and one another. Mothers’ intrusive behavior with their children was assessed with observations, children's EC was measured with mothers’ and caregivers’ reports, and children's externalizing symptoms were assessed with mothers’, fathers’, and caregivers’ reports. In a structural equation panel model, bidirectional relations between intrusive parenting and EC were found: EC at 30 and 42 months predicted low levels of intrusive parenting a year later, controlling for prior levels of parenting and vice versa. Moreover, high levels of children's externalizing problems at both 30 and 42 months negatively predicted EC a year later, controlling for prior levels of EC. Although externalizing problems positively predicted high EC over time, this appeared to be a suppression effect because these variables had a strong negative pattern in the zero-order correlations. Moreover, when controlling for the stability of intrusive parenting, EC, and externalizing (all exhibited significant stability across time) and the aforementioned cross-lagged predictive paths, EC and externalizing problems were still negatively related within the 54-month assessment. The findings are consistent with the view that children's externalizing behavior undermines their EC and contributes to intrusive mothering and that relations between intrusive parenting and EC are bidirectional across time. Thus, interventions that focus on modifying children's externalizing problems (as well as the quality of parenting) might affect the quality of parenting they receive and, hence, subsequent problems with adjustment.

Child Abuse, Street Victimization, and Substance Use Among Homeless Young Adults

Although previous research documents high rates of child abuse, street victimization, and substance use among homeless youth, few studies have investigated these three constructs simultaneously, and thus little is known about how various forms of victimization are uniquely associated with substance use among this population. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship among child sexual and physical abuse, street victimization, and partner violence with substance use among 172 homeless young adults. Path analysis results revealed that males and those who reported parental drug problems were significantly more likely to have higher rates of substance use. Those who suffered more childhood physical and sexual abuse and those who experienced more types of relationship violence were more likely to report greater frequency of substance use. The intersection of various forms of victimization with substance use may have important implications for service providers working with this population.

Associations of Anger and Fear to Later Self-Regulation and Problem Behavior Symptoms

The mediating and moderating roles of self-regulation in the associations of dispositional anger and fear to later conduct and anxiety symptoms were tested. Mothers and teachers rated children's anger and fear at 54 months (N = 191), and mothers reported on children's symptoms of anxiety and conduct disorders at 72 and 84 months (Ns = 169 and 144). Children's self-regulatory ability was assessed using the Tower of Hanoi task at 72 months. Children's self-regulation mediated the association between early dispositional fear and 84-month mother-reported anxiety disorder symptoms above and beyond the effects of earlier generalized anxiety symptoms. Children's anger directly predicted relatively high mother-reported conduct and anxiety disorder symptoms. Findings are discussed in terms of the importance of considering self-regulation as potential mechanism relating early childhood dispositional reactivity to later psychopathology symptoms.

Early parenting, represented family relationships, and externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm

Through assessment of 173 preterm infants and their mothers at hospital discharge and at 9, 16, 24, 36, and 72 months, the study examined early parenting, attachment security, effortful control, and children's representations of family relationships in relation to subsequent externalizing behavior problems. Less intrusive early parenting predicted more secure attachment, better effortful control skills, and fewer early behavior problems, although it did not directly relate to the structural or content characteristics of children's represented family relationships. Children with higher effortful control scores at 24 months had more coherent family representations at 36 months. Moreover, children who exhibited less avoidance in their family representations at 36 months had fewer mother-reported externalizing behavior problems at 72 months. The study suggests that early parenting quality and avoidance in children's represented relationships are important for the development of externalizing behavior problems in children born preterm.

Adoptive parent hostility and children's peer behavior problems: examining the role of genetically informed child attributes on adoptive parent behavior

Socially disruptive behavior during peer interactions in early childhood is detrimental to children's social, emotional, and academic development. Few studies have investigated the developmental underpinnings of children's socially disruptive behavior using genetically sensitive research designs that allow examination of parent-on-child and child-on-parent (evocative genotype-environment correlation [rGE]) effects when examining family process and child outcome associations. Using an adoption-at-birth design, the present study controlled for passive genotype-environment correlation and directly examined evocative rGE while examining the associations between family processes and children's peer behavior. Specifically, the present study examined the evocative effect of genetic influences underlying toddler low social motivation on mother-child and father-child hostility and the subsequent influence of parent hostility on disruptive peer behavior during the preschool period. Participants were 316 linked triads of birth mothers, adoptive parents, and adopted children. Path analysis showed that birth mother low behavioral motivation predicted toddler low social motivation, which predicted both adoptive mother-child and father-child hostility, suggesting the presence of an evocative genotype-environment association. In addition, both mother-child and father-child hostility predicted children's later disruptive peer behavior. Results highlight the importance of considering genetically influenced child attributes on parental hostility that in turn links to later child social behavior. Implications for intervention programs focusing on early family processes and the precursors of disrupted child social development are discussed.

Effortful control, positive emotional expression, and behavior problems in children born preterm

The present study focused on the role of high effortful control in the expression of positive emotion and development of behavior problems in children born preterm (mean gestational age = 31.4 weeks). Using data from a prospective longitudinal study, the present study assessed effortful control and behavior problems at 24 and 36 months and positive emotional expression at 24 months in a sample of 173 children born preterm. Less positive emotional expression was associated with higher effortful control for boys but not girls. Higher effortful control was associated with fewer total behavior problems, but this relation was attenuated when socioeconomic assets were included in the model. More socioeconomic assets were associated with fewer behavior problems for both boys and girls and higher effortful control for girls. Socioeconomic assets appear to be an important factor in the development of effortful control and behavior problems in children born preterm regardless of gender, whereas positive emotional expression was important for boys. Future intervention research should examine fostering adaptive levels of effortful control in high-risk populations as a means to facilitate resilience processes.

The role of parent psychopathology in the development of preschool children with behavior problems

The present study examined associations between early parental self-reported psychopathology symptoms and the later behavioral, emotional, and social functioning of preschool children with behavior problems. Mothers and fathers of preschoolers with behavior problems (N = 132; 55 girls, 77 boys) completed parent psychopathology questionnaires when children were 3 years old and completed measures of children's externalizing, internalizing, and social problems annually from age 3 to age 6. The sample included 61% European American, 16% Latino (predominantly Puerto Rican), 10% African American, and 13% multiethnic children. Every dimension of mothers' and fathers' psychopathology symptoms when children were 3 years old was associated with their own reports of children's externalizing and internalizing problems 3 years later. Several dimensions of maternal psychopathology symptoms at age 3 were associated with mother-reported social skills 3 years later. However, the relation between many dimensions of psychopathology symptoms and child outcome appears to be accounted for by co-occurring psychopathology symptoms. Only maternal attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Cluster A symptoms, and paternal ADHD and depression/anxiety symptoms emerged as unique predictors of child functioning. These findings suggest that most types of mothers' and fathers' self-reported psychopathology symptoms may play a role in the prognosis of behavioral, social, and emotional outcomes of preschoolers with behavior problems, but that co-occurring symptoms need to be considered.

Early fathering as a predictor of later psychosocial functioning among preschool children with behavior problems

The present study examined the role of early fathering in subsequent trajectories of social emotional and academic functioning of preschool children with behavior problems. Participants were 128 preschool-aged children (73 boys, 55 girls) with behavior problems whose biological fathers took part in a longitudinal study. Children were 3 years of age at the beginning of the study and were assessed annually for 3 years. Early paternal depressive symptoms predicted many aspects of children's outcome 3 years later, including externalizing and internalizing problems, social skills deficits, and lower cognitive and academic functioning, and predicted changes in children's externalizing, internalizing, and social problems across the preschool years. Paternal socioeconomic status (SES) also consistently predicted children's later functioning across these domains. Furthermore, self-reported paternal attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and laxness, as well as observed frequent commands were associated with later externalizing problems in children. Paternal depressive symptoms and laxness mediated the relation between paternal ADHD symptoms and child functioning. Results suggest that aspects of early father functioning play an important role in the psychosocial, cognitive, and academic development of preschool-aged children with behavior problems.

Mechanisms of Association Between Paternal Alcoholism and Abuse of Alcohol and Other Illicit Drugs Among Adolescents

The current study examines the effect of paternal alcohol problems on adolescent use of alcohol and other illicit drugs as a function of maternal communication, as well as adolescent social and coping skills (N = 145). Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses indicated that adolescents with a paternal history of alcohol problems reported higher levels of problematic communication with their mothers than did adolescents with fathers who were light drinkers or who were non-drinkers. Moreover, problematic maternal communication functioned as a partial mediator for both adolescent negative social skills and self-blame coping skills. Adolescents who reported using self-blame coping skills more frequently also tended to use alcohol more frequently. Findings suggest that these high-risk adolescents might need more intensive and targeted social and psychological services in their schools and communities.

Maternal and paternal alcohol misuse and alcohol-related outcomes among college students

Using a large college student sample (N = 1,095), the present study examined whether the relationship between parental alcohol abuse and offspring alcohol use varied as a function of parent and offspring gender, and whether the relationship to the non-substance-abusing mother or father buffered against the risk associated with being an adult child of an alcoholic (ACOA). Among women, maternal ACOAs (i.e., the mother only was suspected of alcohol misuse) had the greatest risk of problematic alcohol consumption, whereas among men, both parent ACOAs (i.e., both parents were suspected of alcohol misuse) had the greatest risk of problematic alcohol consumption. No support was found for the buffering hypothesis. We discuss implications of our findings and future directions.

Methamphetamine-using parents: the relationship between parental role strain and depressive symptoms

OBJECTIVE

The methamphetamine epidemic in the United States involves a large number of men and women with dependent-age children. However, we know little about the parenting strains experienced by methamphetamine-using mothers and fathers and the relationship of these parenting strains to mental health outcomes, specifically depressive symptoms.

METHOD

The primary goal of this study was to examine five dimensions of parental role strain in relation to depressive symptoms in a sample of 180 methamphetamine-using parents of dependent-age children in San Diego, CA. Dimensions of parental role strain included child emotional and behavioral problems, child physical health problems, child-related financial strain, interpersonal conflict involving children, and intrapsychic strain related to children.

RESULTS

Methamphetamineusing mothers reported significantly more child-related emotional and behavioral problems compared with methamphetamine-using fathers (7.9 vs. 6.8; t = 2.5, p < .05). In multiple regression analysis, higher Beck depression scores were associated with being a mother (β = .186, p < .05), having more children younger than 18 years old (β = .165, p < .05), less emotional support (β = -.230, p < .01), and higher scores on intrapsychic parental role strain related to children (β = .288, p < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the importance of considering the multidimensional nature of parenting strain in the development of drug treatment and counseling programs for methamphetamine-using parents.