Abstract
Purpose: Adolescents in residential treatment (RT) encounter multiple obstacles upon discharge that can make maintaining treatment gains in the community challenging. This study examined relationships among parenting (sense of competence, practices), household chaos, and adolescent behavior problems in a sample of parents with adolescents in RT. Method: This exploratory cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to recruit 71 parents through Facebook. After providing informed consent, parents completed a battery of self-report instruments. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression. Results: Parents reported several strengths, including high involvement and consistent discipline, and low levels of corporal punishment. Parental sense of competence was relatively high, and household chaos was moderate. Adolescent inattention behaviors were positively associated with inconsistent discipline, corporal punishment, and parental sense of competence. Adolescent internalizing behaviors were positively associated with parent involvement and positive parenting and negatively associated with household chaos. Adolescent externalizing behaviors were positively associated with inconsistent discipline, corporal punishment, and parental sense of competence. Discussion: Findings suggest that there are numerous parenting strengths; however, some aspects of parenting could be promoted through evidence-based interventions such as parent training. Future research should also comprehensively study the home environment beyond self-report to understand environmental factors that may promote or inhibit adolescent behavior problems.
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This research was supported by the Sigma and Jonas Philanthropies Collaborative Research Grant awarded to Kayla Herbell.
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Herbell, K., Eisner, M., Ault, S. et al. Associations Among Parenting Competence and Practices, Household Chaos, and Behavior Problems in Adolescents Accessing Residential Treatment. Child Adolesc Soc Work J (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00912-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00912-x