This study evaluated the applicability of the family economic stress model (FESM) in understanding the influences of economic hardship on child mental health during a nationwide economic recession in Finland. The information was gathered from 527 triads of 12-year-olds and their mothers and fathers from a population sample. The structural equation…

The primary aim of this book is to integrate findings on health and illness in adolescence. The book is geared towards those in the health psychology field as well as others concerned with the issues of adolescent health. It argues the value of following a developmental approach to the study of health or illness in general, and especially for…

The Double ABCX model of family stress and coping was evaluated with 86 families raising mentally retarded children. The model evaluates the stressor (A), families' use of resources (B), their perception of the stressor (C), and the stress experiences (X). The causal ordering of the model suggested an ACBX rather than an ABCX relation. (Author/DB)

This paper proposes a model whereby children's behavior problems, parental stress, and parenting behavior are related. It reports evidence that child behavior problems lead to parental stress but finds other model aspects have not been tested in the developmental disability field. Also considered are practical implications integrating research of…

This study with 203 college students used structural equation analysis and found that the relationship between students' academic stress and course grades was influenced by problem-focused coping and motivation, but not by emotion-focused coping. Greater academic stress covaried with lower course grades. (DB)

Infant temperamental difficulty was strongly related to mothers' level of postpartum depression, both directly and through the mediation of parenting self-efficacy. Social support appeared to function protectively against depression, primarily through self-efficacy. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed. (Author/RH)

As part of a longitudinal study of bereavement among the elderly in Salt Lake City, a conceptual model was developed that suggests that age, sex, socioeconomic status and number of years married will influence the bereaved individuals' perception of the stressfulness of the spouse's death and their ability to cope with it. To describe the role of…

The parents of 48 young handicapped children were surveyed concerning parenting stress, family adjustment, and psychological distress of mothers and fathers, and their relation to child characteristics, family social network, parent belief systems, and coping styles. Results strongly supported the utility of a proposed multidimensional model.…

In the Double ABCX Model, family stress is defined as an imbalance in demands (the A factor: stressor event, related hardships, prior strains), and capabilities or resources (the B factor). The family's definition (C factor) of the imbalance influences its impact. When the family is unable to balance demands and capabilities without making a…

Although the Tension Reduction Hypothesis (TRH) of alcoholism has been the most popular explanation for alcohol abuse to date, the research addressing this model has provided tenuous support at best. In light of this contradictory support, a coping model of alcohol consumption is proposed. This model is based on the low self-image of…

Although the rate of divorce among older Americans has increased steadily, little attention has been paid to late life divorce. To describe the role of age and other factors which might influence adjustment to divorce in later life, data from a larger pilot study were used: 81 divorced persons over the age of 60 completed in-depth, structured…

A study tested a causal model of job burnout from a communication perspective. Drawing from Linear Force Aggregation Theory, social structure theory, and current burnout literature, the study posited direct relationships between network integration, job-related stress, and cognitive distance between perceptions of self and job. It also…

The paper explores the impact of child variables, parent variables, and family resources (professional and informal supports) on the family's ability to cope with a child with special needs. Child variables include child gender, birth order, severity of handicap, degree of child dependency, extent of attachment, age of the child, and presence of…

Major life changes and role transitions, though often treated as stressors necessitating adjustment, in fact produce a wide range of effects on mental health. Focusing on the role context within which transition events occur, finds that life transitions can be nonproblematic or even beneficial when preceded by chronic role problems. (AF)

Although illness is often linked to low morale among the elderly, most persons cope with and adjust to illness. A hypothesized model of favorable family response to illness suggests the importance of resources as mediators to avoid crisis. To test this model, 53 older patients with lung disease and their spouses were interviewed about individual…