This study examined parental satisfaction (using the Parent Satisfaction With Youth Scale) in 132 parents of adolescents who were dually diagnosed with conduct disorder/oppositional defiant disorder and drug abuse/dependence. Results indicated parental satisfaction did not vary as a function of age, ethnic minority status, or gender. Parents of younger youth were generally more dissatisfied than parents of older adolescents although younger youth were no more delinquent than older youth. These results suggest that parents of delinquent youth become tolerant of their children's behavior problems with time. As expected, parents were most dissatisfied with their youth's use of drugs, illicit behavior, school performance, and response to discipline. Parents who endorsed lower levels of satisfaction reported their youth engaged in more pronounced levels of problem behavior and more drug use than did parents who were relatively more satisfied with their youth. Study implications and future directions are discussed.
Conduct-disordered and substance-abusing adolescents (N = 132) completed the Youth Happiness With Parent Scale (YHPS). The YHPS measures youth happiness with parental behaviors across 11 domains (e.g., communication, chores, and discipline) as well as a single item reflecting overall happiness. Results indicated that youth satisfaction did not vary as a function of parents' or youths' age, ethnic minority status, or gender. Although youth were relatively dissatisfied with their parents across behavioral domains (particularly illegal behaviors, drug use, school conduct, and alcohol use), they were fairly satisfied with their parents overall. Youth happiness with parental behaviors was negatively related to externalizing but not internalizing behavioral problems of the youth. Study implications and future directions are discussed in light of the results.
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