Abstract
Couple and family therapists have long noted the connection between discord in the marital relationship and adolescent conduct problems. To clarify the processes involved in this relationship, we tested a path model linking marital discord and adolescent conduct problems via the parenting alliance for mothers and fathers in European American, Mexican American English-preference, and Mexican American Spanish-preference families. Results indicated that a strong parenting alliance significantly affected parenting self-efficacy. Parenting self-efficacy was negatively related to adolescent conduct problems for mothers but not for fathers. Results suggest that maternal perceptions of low parenting alliance and low maternal parenting self-efficacy are salient risk factors for adolescent conduct problems in Mexican American families. Implications of the findings for couple and family therapy are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 37-57 |
Number of pages | 21 |
Journal | Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy |
Volume | 1 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 30 2002 |
Keywords
- Adolescent adjustment
- Marital discord
- Mexican American
- Parenting alliance
- Parenting self-efficacy
- Therapy
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Gender Studies
- Social Psychology
- Applied Psychology
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)