Relationships Between Adverse Life Events, Mother-Adolescent Relationship, and Adolescent Adjustment: A Follow-up Study

Ergul-Topcu A., GÜRE A.

TURK PSIKOLOJI DERGISI, vol.36, no.87, pp.106-130, 2021 (SSCI) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 36 Issue: 87
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.31828/tpd1300443320191030m000030
  • Journal Name: TURK PSIKOLOJI DERGISI
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Psycinfo
  • Page Numbers: pp.106-130
  • Keywords: Economic hardship, marital conflict, mother-adolescent relationship, self-esteem, life satisfaction, internalizing and externalizing problems, FAMILY STRESS MODEL, PARENT-CHILD CONFLICT, MARITAL CONFLICT, INTERPARENTAL CONFLICT, ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, PROBLEM BEHAVIOR, EXTERNALIZING BEHAVIORS, SUPPRESSOR VARIABLES, AMERICAN, SATISFACTION
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

This study mainly aims to examine mediating role of mother-adolescent relationship (mother behavior and the quality of mother-adolescent relationship) between negative life events (economic hardship and marital conflict) and adolescent's psychological well-being (self-esteem and life satisfaction) besides behavioral problems (internalizing and externalizing) on the basis of adolescents' statements in a longitudinal approach. The sample of the study consisted of 832 adolescents (442 girls-53.1% and 390 boys-46.9%) in their primary and secondary education. The data was gathered twice (Time 1 and Time 2) with an interval of one year. The results showed that both mother behavior and the quality of mother-adolescent relationship for girls, but only mother behavior for boys act as mediators on the associations between perceived economic hardship and psychological well-being and behavior problems. Also, for girls mother behavior and the quality of mother-adolescent relationship act as mediators on the associations between marital conflict and adolescent's well-being and behavioral problems. For boys, both mother behavior and the quality of mother-adolescent relationship had a mediating role only on the associations between marital conflict and adolescent's well-being.