Mother's and father's parental adjustment: Links to externalising behaviour problems in sons and daughters

Abstract

This study examined links between parents (189 mothers, 153 fathers) adjustment and children's externalising behaviour problems (97 girls; 92 boys) representative of the general population. Structural equation modelling was used to examine models that included “direct” and “indirect” pathways. Externalising behaviour problems in children were strongly related to parental adjustment difficulties. Maternal antisocial behaviour and marital hostility were linked to sons’ and daughters’ externalising behaviour problems via dysfunctional child-rearing practices. Maternal antisocial behaviour, however, was not fully mediated by dysfunctional parenting. For fathers, the pattern related to externalising problems in sons was as those specified for mothers. The pattern did not appear relevant for daughters. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of adjustment patterns with regard to the sex composition of the parent-child dyads.