Erin M Rodriguez1, Geri R Donenberg2, Erin Emerson2, Helen W Wilson3, Larry K Brown4, Christopher Houck4. 1. University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608, USA. Electronic address: erodriguez@austin.utexas.edu. 2. University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608, USA; University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, 1603 West Taylor Street, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. 3. Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA. 4. Bradley/Hasbro Children's Research Center (BHCRC), Rhode Island Hospital and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations among family environment, coping, and emotional and conduct problems in adolescents attending therapeutic day schools due to mental health problems. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 417; 30.2% female) ages 13-20 (M = 15.25) reported on their family environment (affective involvement and functioning), coping (emotion-focused support-seeking, cognitive restructuring, avoidant actions), and emotional and conduct problems. RESULTS: Poorer family environment was associated with less emotion-focused support-seeking and cognitive restructuring, and more emotional and conduct problems. Emotional problems were negatively associated with cognitive restructuring, and conduct problems were negatively associated with all coping strategies. Cognitive restructuring accounted for the relationship between family environment and emotional problems. Cognitive restructuring and emotion-focused support-seeking each partially accounted for the relationship between family functioning and conduct problems, but not the relationship between family affective involvement and conduct problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings implicate the role of coping in the relationship between family environment and adolescent mental health.
OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations among family environment, coping, and emotional and conduct problems in adolescents attending therapeutic day schools due to mental health problems. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 417; 30.2% female) ages 13-20 (M = 15.25) reported on their family environment (affective involvement and functioning), coping (emotion-focused support-seeking, cognitive restructuring, avoidant actions), and emotional and conduct problems. RESULTS: Poorer family environment was associated with less emotion-focused support-seeking and cognitive restructuring, and more emotional and conduct problems. Emotional problems were negatively associated with cognitive restructuring, and conduct problems were negatively associated with all coping strategies. Cognitive restructuring accounted for the relationship between family environment and emotional problems. Cognitive restructuring and emotion-focused support-seeking each partially accounted for the relationship between family functioning and conduct problems, but not the relationship between family affective involvement and conduct problems. CONCLUSIONS: Findings implicate the role of coping in the relationship between family environment and adolescent mental health.