Unique and Shared Aspects of Affective Symptomatology: The Role of Parental Bonding in Depression and Anxiety Symptom Profiles

How Does Parental Early Maladaptive Schema Affect Adolescents' Social Adaptation? Based on the Perspective of Intergenerational Transmission

An individual's social adaptation is affected by their early maladaptive schemas. Previous studies have shown that early maladaptive schemas may be intergenerationally transmitted in families. It is important to explore the intergenerational effect of early maladaptive schemas on adolescents' social adaptation, as they are in a critical period of growth and development. In this study, a cross-sectional design and questionnaire survey were used to collect data to explore the intergenerational influence of early maladaptive schemas in families and their relationship with adolescents' social adaptation. The participants were 201 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years and their primary caregivers (father or mother), of whom 125 (62.2%) were boys and 76 (37.8%) were girls. There were 70 fathers (34.8%) and 131 mothers (65.2%). Chinese adolescents and their primary caregivers were surveyed using paired questionnaires, and the Young Schema Questionnaire (short form) and Adolescent Social Adaptation Scale were completed. The results show that adolescents' early maladaptive schema plays an intermediary role between parents' early maladaptive schema and adolescents' social adaptation. Parental mistrust/abuse and insufficient self-control schemas affected adolescents' social adaptation through the mediating effect of their corresponding schemas. Our results reveal the negative impact path of parents' early maladaptive schemas on adolescents' social adaptation and provide a new direction for the clinical practice of adolescent family therapy.

Parental Bonding and Hostility: Examining the Links Between Sex Differences, Hostility, Anger, and Aggression

Introduction: Although parental bonding that is characterized by overprotection and low care is associated with adult depression and anxiety, less is known about its association with other mood states. Additionally, few studies differentiate between maternal and paternal bonding or evaluate sex differences in offspring's emotional responding as a function of bonding.

Method: The current study examined parental bonding as it relates to hostility, anger, and verbal and physical aggression in young adults. Participants reported their mood state, perception of parenting behaviors, and their experience of hostility and its correlates.

Results: After controlling for current mood, paternal care modulated males' anger and verbal aggression, whereas maternal care modulated females' physical aggression. Maternal overprotection predicted hostility in males.

Discussion: Findings suggest that less parental care and greater parental overprotection precipitate angry and aggressive responding later in life, and these results are linked to sex differences in both parents and in young adult males and females.

Perception of Parental Bonds and Suicide Intent Among Egyptian Adolescents

PROBLEM

Suicidal adolescents, compared to their nonsuicidal peers, tend to perceive their parents as less "caring" and more "controlling"-which characterizes the "affectionless control" parenting style. Research findings are inconsistent regarding the distinct influence of mother versus father parenting on youth suicide intent; moreover, the influence of parents' joint parenting styles on suicide intent has not been investigated.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional design and large sample (N = 150 youth, 13-21 years old), currently hospitalized in a treatment center in Egypt for a recent suicide attempt, data were collected using the Suicide Intent Scale, Parental Bonding Instrument, and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.

FINDINGS

Seventy percent of youth reported high suicide intent. Mother and father parenting styles, assessed independently, were not associated with adolescent suicide intent. The joint effect of both parents' parenting style, however, was positively associated with suicide intent (Wald χ(2) = 8.79, p = .03). Suicide intent was stronger among adolescents who experienced neglectful compared with optimal parenting style (B = 1.93, Wald χ(2) = 4.28, p = .04).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings have direct implications for mental health nursing interventions, signaling the critical need to engage both parents in family-based interventions to address youth suicidal behavior.

The impact of early parenting bonding on young adults' internet addiction, through the mediation effects of negative relating to others and sadness

The aim of the present study is the investigation of the potential role of negative relating to others, perceived loneliness, sadness, and anxiety, as mediators of the association between early parental bonding and adult Internet Addiction (IA). The factorial structure of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the prevalence rates of it in a Greek sample will also be investigated. A total of 774 participants were recruited from a Technological Education Institute (mean age=20.2, SD=2.8) and from high school technical schools (mean age=19.9, SD=7.4). The IAT was used to measure the degree of problematic Internet use behaviors; the Parental Bonding Instrument was used to assess one's recalled parenting experiences during the first 16years of life; the shortened Person's Relating to Others Questionnaire was used to assess one's negative (i.e. maladaptive) relating to others (NRO). Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the three-factor structure of the IAT. Only 1.0% of the sample was severely addicted to the Internet. The mediated effects of only the NRO and sadness were confirmed. Negative relating to others was found to fully mediate the effect of both the father's optimal parenting and affectionless control on IA, whereas sadness was found to fully mediate the effect of the mother's optimal parenting on IA. Overall, the results suggest that parenting style has an indirect impact on IA, through the mediating role of negative relating to others or sadness in later life. Both family-based and individual-based prevention and intervention efforts may reduce the incidence of IA.

Parental verbal affection and verbal aggression in childhood differentially influence psychiatric symptoms and wellbeing in young adulthood

Previous research has shown that exposure to parental verbal aggression is common and associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety, dissociation, and drug use. A key question that has not been addressed is whether verbal affection from the same or opposite parent can attenuate the effects of verbal aggression. This cross-sectional study examined the effects of parental verbal aggression and affection during childhood on measures of psychopathology and wellbeing in a community sample of 2,518 individuals (18-25 years). Data were analyzed for moderating influences using mixed effect models and for direct and indirect effects using structural equation models. The moderation analysis suggested that high levels of exposure to verbal affection did not mitigate the effects of verbal aggression from the same parent, and high levels of verbal affection from another parent did not generally result in a significant attenuation of the effects of verbal aggression. Structural equation models showed that verbal aggression was predominantly associated with effects on psychiatric symptoms scores, whereas verbal affection was primarily associated with effects on measures of wellbeing. These findings highlight the relatively independent effects of verbal aggression and verbal affection and suggest that the latter may be particularly important in establishing a foundation for emotional and physical wellbeing. These findings also suggest that ridicule, disdain, and humiliation cannot be easily counteracted by praise and warmth from the same or another parent.