"More control, more conflicts?" Clarifying the longitudinal relations between parental psychological Control and parent-adolescent Conflict by disentangling between-family effects from within-family effects

The reciprocal relations between parental psychological control and adolescents' problematic mobile phone use: A four-wave longitudinal study

Parental psychological control has long been considered as a negative related factor of adolescents' problematic mobile phone use, but the influence of different strategies of psychological control is unclear. This longitudinal study aims to examine the reciprocal effects between parental psychological control and adolescents' problematic mobile phone use, focusing on three strategies of psychological control. During four waves (T1: January 2023; T2: August 2023; T3: February 2024; T4: August 2024), a total of 1,374 Chinese adolescents completed the questionnaires of parental psychological control and problematic mobile phone use. The RI-CLPM analysis showed that parental psychological control predicted subsequent adolescents' problematic mobile phone use positively at within-family levels, and adolescents' problematic mobile phone use predicted subsequent parental psychological control positively at within-family levels. Further each strategy analysis suggests that authority assertion, love withdrawal, and guilt induction predicted subsequent adolescents' problematic mobile phone use positively. Conversely, adolescents' problematic mobile phone use predicted subsequent authority assertion and love withdrawal positively but did not predict guilt induction. The vicious cycle between certain psychological control strategies (i.e., authority assertion and love withdrawal) and adolescents' problematic mobile phone use demonstrates the effects of negative family functioning. These findings provide a new scientific basis for the family-oriented intervention of adolescents' problematic mobile phone use.

Associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and body roundness index with psychological symptoms in adolescents in mainland China: a national multicenter cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Decreased physical activity and overnutrition among adolescents have become important public health problems shared by countries around the world. In addition, the prevalence of psychological symptoms among adolescents continues to increase, which negatively affects schooling and future quality of life. However, no studies have been found in the past on the association of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA) and body roundness index(BRI) with psychological symptoms in Chinese adolescents. This study may provide theoretical support for the prevention and intervention of psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China.

METHODS

From September to November 2023, MVPA, BRI, and psychological symptoms were assessed in 43,031 adolescents aged 12-17 years from different regions of mainland China. The chi-square test, t-test, logistic regression analysis, and ordered logistic regression were used to analyze the associations that existed between MVPA and BRI with psychological symptoms.

RESULTS

The prevalence of psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China was 20.3%. The proportions of adolescents with MVPA of < 30 min/day, 30-60 min/day, and > 60 min/day were 46.0%, 40.0%, and 14.0%, respectively. The adolescent BRI value was (2.02 ± 0.95); boys (2.12 ± 1.03) had a higher BRI value than girls (1.92 ± 0.86), and the difference was statistically significant (t = 22.111, P < 0.001). After adjusting for relevant covariates, ordered logistic regression analysis showed that, overall, adolescents in the group with MVPA > 60 min/day and BRI quartiles Q1 as the reference group, adolescents in the group with MVPA of 30-60 min/day and BRI quartiles Q2 (OR = 0.65, 95% CI:0.51 ∼ 0.82) had a lower risk of developing psychological symptoms (P < 0.001); adolescents in the MVPA < 30 min/day group and BRI quartiles Q4 group (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.30-2.02) had a higher risk of psychological symptoms (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is an association between MVPA and BRI and psychological symptoms among adolescents in mainland China. A decrease in MVPA and an increase in BRI were associated with an increase in the prevalence of psychological symptoms. In the future, we should effectively improve the MVPA level and maintain a reasonable BRI value in adolescents in mainland China to better promote adolescents' mental health development.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER

Not applicable.

Is There a Vicious Cycle Between Parental Burnout and Parent-Adolescent Conflict? A Three-Wave Within-Family Analytic Approach

Parental burnout is a chronic condition of experiencing exhaustion, inefficacy, and emotional distance in one's parental role. Given the detrimental influence of parental burnout on both parents and children, it is important to study the antecedents and consequences of parental burnout, particularly at the within-family level. Using a three-wave sample of 443 Chinese parents (70% mothers; mean age = 41.81 years, SD = 3.81 years) of middle school adolescents (50% girls; mean age = 13.35 years, SD = 0.36 years), the present study examined the transactional processes between parental burnout and parent-adolescent conflict. Random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling allowed the present study to focus on within-family effects by using random intercepts to account for between-family effects. In this way, this study can rule out time-invariant confounds by focusing on whether the ups and downs of parental burnout at a family level contribute to the changes in parent-adolescent conflict, and vice versa. At the within-family level, parental burnout predicted greater parent-adolescent conflict over time, and parent-adolescent conflict also predicted greater parental burnout over time. Notably, multigroup comparisons showed that the link from parent-adolescent conflict to parental burnout was only significant among parents with lower but not higher educational attainment, and the link from parental burnout to parent-adolescent conflict was only evident among mothers but not fathers. Taken together, the findings suggest that parental burnout and parent-adolescent conflict positively shape and sustain one another over time, highlighting the necessity to adapt the designs of family conflict interventions in treating and preventing parental burnout.

Parent-Adolescent Conflict, Peer Victimization, and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Effect of OXTR Gene rs53576 Polymorphism

Despite growing evidence that parent-adolescent conflict positively correlates with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) among adolescents, its underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms have yet to be thoroughly examined. Based on the social development model and gene-environment interaction perspective, this study investigates whether the indirect association of parent-adolescent conflict, which impacts adolescent IGD through peer victimization, was moderated by the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene rs53576 polymorphism. Overall, 673 Chinese adolescents (Meanage = 12.81 years; SD = 0.48 years; 54% boys) were included in this study. The participants completed questionnaires concerning parent-adolescent conflict, peer victimization, and IGD, and genomic DNA was extracted from each participant's saliva and buccal cells. The findings indicated that peer victimization mediated the link between parent-adolescent conflict and IGD among adolescents. The OXTR gene rs53576 polymorphism also moderated this indirect link. Specifically, the indirect effect of parent-adolescent conflict on adolescent IGD through peer victimization was significant for adolescents with AA homozygotes. However, it was non-significant for adolescents with GA and GG genotypes. This research simultaneously considers the roles of family, peers, and genetics in adolescent IGD. Furthermore, it provides beneficial information to customize interventions for adolescent IGD prevention.

Adolescent responses to paternal verbal aggression: Assessing spillover and compensatory processes using random intercept cross-lagged panel models

INTRODUCTION

Prior research suggests several pathways through which verbal aggression manifests across adolescent relationship contexts, including spillover (continuity of aggression across different relationships) and compensation (offsetting an aggressive relationship with less aggression in other relationships). These pathways vary across timescales in ways that between-person analytic approaches are unlikely to adequately capture. The current study used random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM) to examine adolescents' spillover and compensatory responses to paternal verbal aggression.

METHODS

Participants were 184 adolescents (53.2% female) from a United States community sample participating in a longitudinal study. Annually from ages 13-17, participants reported on their experiences of verbal aggression in their paternal and maternal relationships and participated in observed interactions with a close peer that were coded for aggressive behavior.

RESULTS

Spillover was observed from father-adolescent to mother-adolescent and adolescent-peer contexts in analyses at the between-person level, likely capturing long-term, cumulative effects of paternal aggression. Conversely, compensation was observed in analyses at the within-person level, likely capturing medium-term (i.e., year-to-year) adaptations to paternal aggression: Adolescents who experienced more aggression from their father than expected at a specific time point were less likely to both perpetrate and experience aggression in maternal and peer relationships the following year. Several findings differed across teen gender, with compensation more likely to occur in males than females.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the multiple pathways by which father-adolescent aggression may be linked to behavior in other relationships in the medium- and long-term. They also support the value of RI-CLPM in decomposing these effects.

Impact of intergenerational conflict on young people and interventions to mitigate its effects: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Intergenerational conflicts with parents or grandparents have been shown to have adverse effects on young people. Inevitably these conflicts influence the mental health and well-being of young people.

AIMS

The scoping review aimed to identify the extent of existing literature related to intergenerational conflicts in a familial context, including the factors associated with those conflicts and the interventions addressing intergenerational issues.

METHOD

Articles across OVID, PubMed, and ERIC databases on intergenerational conflicts involving youth (10-24), parents, and/or grandparents were identified. The review is reported adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

RESULTS

From 185 database articles, 43 studies met eligibility criteria, and 4 more were added via cross-referencing, totalling 47. They were grouped into pre-COVID, COVID-related studies, and intervention studies. Parent-child conflict significantly impacted youth mental health, particularly internalising and externalising behaviours. Besides examining the associations, the review addresses the intergenerational conflict in the purview of Gender and cultural differences. Also, a focus on Interventions designed to enhance intergenerational relationships and resolve conflicts was discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

This review illuminates the detrimental impact of intergenerational conflicts within familial dynamics on the mental well-being of young individuals. It also encompasses the distinct landscape of intergenerational conflicts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parent-adolescent conflict and problematic internet use among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of school climate

BACKGROUND

Problematic Internet use (PIU) may lead adolescents to physical, emotional, social, or functional impairment due to the risky, excessive, or impulsive internet use manner. How do the experiences of adolescents influence them using the internet in a problematic manner? The answer to this question is the key to preventing and intervening PIU of adolescents. To address this question, we focus on the interactions among family (parent-adolescent conflict), school (school climate), and individual factors (PIU, depression), exploring the influence factors of PIU.

METHODS

A moderated mediation model was constructed to explore the relationship between variables. Using a two-wave longitudinal design with a six-month interval between timepoints, this study collected data from 801 Chinese adolescents (411 boys, Mage = 14.68) by questionnaires. Path analysis was employed to test the model and participants' age, sex and baseline were controlled.

RESULTS

Parent-adolescent conflict at Time 1 (T1) was positively related to PIU at Time 2 (T2) in adolescents. Depression at T2 mediated the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. School climate at T2 significantly moderated the mediation effect of depression on the relationship between parent-adolescent conflict at T1 and PIU at T2. Specifically, positive school climate could significantly weaken the negative effect of depression on PIU for adolescents with low level of depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study reveals that parent-adolescent conflict leads to PIU in adolescents through depression whilst the school climate moderates the impacts of depression on PIU. This adds further evidence regarding the significance of systematically and consistently incorporating family and school in the alleviating of problem behaviors displayed by teens.

The Longitudinal Associations Between Parental Autonomy Support, Autonomy and Peer Resistance

Adolescents' autonomy is considered to be shaped within family and peer contexts. However, the specific dynamics of the within-person associations between parental autonomy support, adolescents' general autonomy, and peer resistance over time remain unclear. To address this, random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were employed in a sample of 290 Dutch youth in early adolescence (Mage = 11.58, SD = 0.44 at T1; 49.3% boys) and 220 Dutch youth in middle to late adolescence (Mage = 17.79, SD = 1.47 at T1; 25.0% boys), who were followed over two years across four time points. Results showed that changes in adolescents' general autonomy were concurrently associated with changes in their parental autonomy support and peer resistance at the within-person level. However, these associations were not observed longitudinally over a six-month period. These findings suggest that increases in supportive parenting and peer resistance co-occur with increases in adolescents' autonomy within individuals.

The Mediation of Care and Overprotection between Parent-Adolescent Conflicts and Adolescents' Psychological Difficulties during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Which Role for Fathers?

BACKGROUND

There is evidence of a significant raise in youths' emotional and behavioral difficulties during the pandemic. Only a few studies have addressed parent-adolescent conflict, and none investigated the possible mediating effect of parenting in the association between conflicts with parents and adolescents' symptoms. This study aimed at investigating youths' psychological symptoms during the pandemic, focusing on the predicting effect of parent-adolescent conflict. The mediating role of care and overprotection was also explored, considering whether adolescent gender moderated this mediation.

METHODS

195 adolescents aged 14-18 years participated in an online longitudinal study. Perceived conflict with parents and parenting dimensions (Parental Bonding Instrument; PBI) were assessed at baseline (2021). Self-reported psychological difficulties (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) were collected at baseline and after one year (2022).

RESULTS

A significantly severer symptomatology was found in adolescents having a conflictual relationship with one or both parents. Major conflicts with parents correlated with lower care and greater overprotection in mothers and fathers. However, parental overprotection and maternal care were not mediators of the relationship between conflict and youths' difficulties. The only exception was represented by paternal care that fully mediated this relationship in both adolescent males and females.

CONCLUSIONS

Although further investigations are needed to overcome limitations due to the small sample, findings extend our insight into the impact of parent-adolescent conflict, highlighting the role of fathers' care and the need to maximize their involvement in clinical interventions.