Understanding caregiver behaviors, adolescent distress, and conflict resolution in an economically disadvantaged sample
Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Adolescents in economically disadvantaged families are at greater risk for
various mental health difficulties and are less likely to receive mental health services.
Thus, their caregivers are of the utmost importance to maintain their adaptive
functioning. Conflict interactions can serve as a tool to understand how caregivers and
adolescents may solve problems on a daily basis. This study aims to better understand
the relationship between caregiver behaviors, adolescent distress, and conflict
resolution during a structured conflict interaction. Transcripts of conflict interactions
between 138 caregiver-adolescent dyads were coded from a larger study investigating
attachment in caregivers and adolescents. Bivariate correlations were conducted to
investigate associations between: 1) caregiver behaviors (positive support, negative
support, avoidance) and adolescent distress (negative emotion, avoidance), 2)
caregiver behaviors and conflict resolution, and 3) adolescent distress and conflict
resolution. Caregiver positive support was associated with less adolescent negative
emotion. Caregiver negative support was associated with more adolescent negative
emotion. Caregiver avoidance was associated with both measures of adolescent
distress. More conflict resolution was associated with more caregiver positive support,
less caregiver negative behaviors (negative support, avoidance), and less adolescent
distress (negative emotion, avoidance). Findings may help to identify clinical targets
to improve interactions among economically disadvantaged caregiver-adolescent
dyads.
Description
Keywords
Adolescent distress, Conflict resolution, Economical disadvantages