Family environment and psychological adaptation in adolescents

Abstract

The association between quality of family relationships and psychological adjustment has been understudied in the literature. This study tested the predictive relationship between family environment (measured by the dimensions of cohesion, hierarchy, support and conflict) and indicators of psychological adjustment (self-esteem, general self-efficacy and low levels of self-depreciation) in adolescents using structural equation modeling. Participants were 656 students aged between 12 and 18 years old from public schools. They answered the Family Climate Inventory, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and General Perceived Self-efficacy Scale. The results indicated that the family environment (cohesion, support and low conflict) was a significant predictor of psychological adaptation. This study concluded that functional family relationships are important for the expression of positive psychological characteristics during adolescence. Keywords: Family relations, self-esteem, self-efficacy, adolescent. ResumoA associação entre qualidade das relações familiares e adaptação psicológica tem sido subinvestigada na literatura. Esta pesquisa testou a relação preditiva entre ambiente familiar (através das dimensões coesão, hierarquia, apoio e conflito) e indicadores de adaptação psicológica (autoestima, autoeficácia geral e baixos níveis de autodepreciação) em adolescentes utilizando modelagem de equações estruturais. Participaram 656 estudantes de escolas públicas entre 12 e 18 anos, que responderam ao Inventário do Clima Familiar, à Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg e à Escala de Autoeficácia Geral Percebida. Os resultados indicaram que o ambiente familiar (coesão, apoio e baixos índices de conflito) foi um preditor significativo de adaptação psicológica. Conclui-se que relações familiares funcionais são importantes para a expressão de características psicológicas positivas na adolescência.

Conceptualizing and Measuring Group Openness and Cohesion as Dimensions of Group Personality

“…All of these family climate concepts emphasize emotional connection, dealing with disagreement, and how the family is organized (which, in contrast to company teams, is not fixed in families). Because the FCI as the usual measure of choice for family climate was created to be answered by children, some authors interested in assessing the viewpoints of other family members derive or create their own measurements (Sbicigo & Dell'Aglio, 2012). There does not seem to be a well-established international family climate questionnaire that is designed to be answered by the entire family.…”

Prevalencia de exposición a violencia directa e indirecta: un estudio con adolescentes de colegios públicos

“…Em uma revisão de artigos empíricos, foi observado que as configurações familiares não diferem em termos de resultados desenvolvimentais de crianças e adolescentes (Oliveira, Siqueira, Dell'Aglio, & Lopes, 2008). De fato, resultados de outros estudos têm indicado que as relações que se estabelecem na família são mais importantes que a sua forma de organização (Mota & Matos, 2009;Sbicigo & Dell'Aglio, 2012). Esse resultado indica que outros fatores, que não a configuração familiar e sexo, podem explicar a maior ou menor exposição de adolescentes à violência direta e indireta, sugerindo a necessidade de estudos que avaliem variáveis pessoais e contextuais mais amplas, a partir da compreensão do fenômeno da violência como um processo complexo.…”

Family and School in the Socioemotional Development in Childhood

“…In the study developed by Sbicigo and Dell'Aglio (2012), high levels of support and cohesion, and low levels of family confl ict were considered as predictors of psychological adaptation in Brazilian adolescents. Those who perceived high family cohesion and support probably felt higher levels of acceptance and love from their families, which may have raised their levels of self-esteem and self-effi cacy.…”

“…The authors stressed that the perception of family environment is infl uenced by individual characteristics. In this sense, people in the same family may have different perceptions of the family environment, resulting in different levels of psychological adaptation (Sbicigo & Dell'Aglio, 2012).…”