Using
Family Structure and Family Functioning to Predict Psychological Well-being[1]
Courtney L. Ortz, Chrystal J. Foster, Jeanne M. Slattery, and Beryl A. Bray
(Clarion University)[2]
changes in family structure, or to
family processes.
v Children raised in single parent families have more behavioral problems, on average, than children raised in other kinds of families (Carlson & Corcoran, 2001; Schoppe, Mangelsdorf, & Frosch, 2001).
v Transitions in family structure tend to lead to more acting out behaviors, academic problems, and decreased emotional adjustment (Martinez & Forgatch, 2002).
v Conflict and general family processes seem to be more important than family structure in predicting well-being and problem behaviors (Kurdek & Sinclair, 1988; Lansford, Ceballo, Abbey, & Stewart, 2001; Schoppe et al., 2001).
Study
Goals
v Although family structure is a predictor of psychological outcomes, we decided to look at self-reports of family interactions to see whether they would predict outcomes better. We focus on positive outcomes including: coping, self-esteem, and psychological well-being.
Participants
v Clarion University students enrolled in lower level psychology
classes (General Psychology and Psychology of Personal Growth)
participated in this study. Involvement in the study was one of several
opportunities for earning extra credit.
v There were 114 females and 40 male participants. The average age of students was 20.2 years old (SD= 4.12).
Materials
v Four questionnaires were used in our study: the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Family Awareness Scale (FAS-R), the COPE, and the Psychological Well-being Scale. These were always presented in this order. We revised the Family Awareness Scale by removing one question that was present in the original questionnaire (#2), because it was not applicable to all participants in our study.
v Questions on the demographics page assessed the participants’ gender, age, race, and family structure.
v All tests had moderate to strong reliabilities and assessed validity.
Results
v Family functioning: students growing up in intact families or those with joint custody reported more positive functioning on the FAS-R than students from single parent and stepparent families (F (3, 146) = 5.458, p = .0014).
v Correlations between family functioning and coping strategies: religious coping (r (152) =. 312, p <. 0001), positive reinterpretation and growth (r (152) = .226, p = .0009), use of instrumental social support (r (152) =. 269, p =. 0007), active coping (r (152) =. 250, p =. 0018), use of emotional social support (r (152) =. 252, p =. 0017), acceptance (r (152) =. 205, p =. 0111), suppression of competing activities (r (152) =. 177, p =. 0290), and planning (r (151) =. 198, p =. 0148). Reports of positive family functioning on the FAS-R were negatively correlated with substance use (r (152) =-.210, p =. 0092).
v Correlations between psychological well-being and family functioning: environmental mastery (r (150) =. 450, p <. 0001), positive relations with other people (r (151) =. 445, p <. 0001), self-acceptance (r (152) =. 414, p <. 0001), autonomy (r (152) =. 179, p =. 0276) and purpose in life (r (152) =. 226, p =. 0050).
v Self-esteem: There was a strong correlation between self-esteem and family functioning (r (151) = .403, p < .0001).
v Correlations between self-esteem and coping strategies: positive reinterpretation and growth (r (153) = .344, p < .0001), active coping (r (153) = .308, p < .0001), religious coping (r (153) = .237, p = .0031), restraint (r (153) = .193, p = .0168), acceptance (r (153) = .212, p = .0083), and planning (r (152) = .234, p = .0036). Self-esteem was negatively correlated with behavioral disengagement (r (153) = -.194, p = .0162) and substance use (r (153) =-.203, p = .0118).
v Correlations between self-esteem and various aspects of psychological well-being: Self-acceptance (r (153) = .761, p < .0001), purpose in life (r (153) = .404, p < .0001), positive relations with other people (r (152) = .463, p < .0001), personal growth (r (153) = .398, p < .0001), environmental mastery (r (151) = .640, p < .0001), and autonomy (r (153) = .452, p < .0001).
v Family functioning, as reported on the FAS-R, is related to one’s coping strategies, self-esteem, and psychological well-being; the higher the level of family functioning, the more adaptive coping strategies one used and the better one’s self-esteem and psychological well-being.
v Family structure is also related to level of family functioning; children from intact families or with parents sharing custody reported better family functioning than those with divorced or single parents.
Limitations
v We must keep in mind that these are only self-reports, rather than measurements of actual behaviors.
v Because these are correlational data, they do not necessarily indicate that family structure or reports of family functioning cause psychological well-being.
v In future research, we would like to examine the specific family processes that lead to positive psychological consequences.
v In addition, our sample was not taken from a very diverse population. We have few male or minority participants, and most participants, because they were drawn from psychology classes, have greater than usual psychological interests, which may impact their views of family or individual functioning.
[1] Presented at the 2004 annual meetings of the Eastern Psychological Association, Washington, DC.
[2] Contact Jeanne M. Slattery by e-mail (jslattery@clarion.edu) or at Clarion University, Clarion, PA 16214