Externalizing and internalizing behaviours in adolescence, and the importance of parental behavioural and psychological control practices

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to explore the impact of parental characteristics (behavioural control and psychological control) on adolescents' expression of externalizing and internalizing behaviours. To address the aim of the study, participants completed quantitative measures; the study included 538 adolescents and their mothers and fathers. Overall, 513 mothers and 464 fathers participated in the study. Adolescents completed the Children's Report on Parent Behaviour Inventory (CRPBI), while parents completed the Child Behaviour Checklist e Parent Report (Short Form; CBCL). Results of the study showed that only maternal and paternal psychological control predicted externalizing and internalizing behaviours. The conclusions have practical applications, as they can provide novel approaches in parent training programmes. Furthermore, results are discussed in relation to the connection with earlier studies and the theoretical contribution.

Programa de Orientação de Pais em Grupo: Um estudo exploratório na abordagem Cognitivo-Comportamental

“…Práticas parentais consideradas negativas, de acordo com os estudos de Minetto, Crepaldi, Bigras e Moreira, (2012) e de Salvo, Silvares e Toni (2005), sinalizam um possível risco no desenvolvimento da criança, demonstrando a necessidade de uma intervenção de orientação parental. Essas práticas também estão relacionadas com o surgimento de sintomas externalizantes e/ou internalizantes em crianças e adolescentes (Symeou & Georgiou, 2017), além do comprometimento nas noções de autoestima, pertencimento e percepção de bem-estar (Palovar-Lever & Victorio-Estrada, 2014).…”

The relationships among parental psychological control/autonomy support, self‐trouble, and internalizing problems across adolescent genders

“…Adolescents with high psychological control may experience more internalizing problems, like more anxiety and depressive experiences (Luebbe, Bump, Fussner & Rulon, 2014;Soenens, Park, Vansteenkiste & Mouratidis, 2012). One cross-sectional study found that maternal psychological control was associated with mother-reported internalizing problems, while paternal psychological control was associated with father-reported internalizing problems (Symeou & Georgiou, 2017). Among longitudinal studies, perceived psychological control at time 1 positively predicted adolescents' internalizing problems at time 2, which didn't predict psychological control at time 3 (Bloemert, 2010;Kaniu sonyt_ e & Zukauskien_ e, 2016).…”

“…Adolescents' emotional needs might not be responded and satisfied when going through parental psychological control. This hinders their ability to shape the self-confidence and self-uniqueness (Barber, 1996), and further increases the risk for internalizing problems (Symeou & Georgiou, 2017).…”

“…However, it has to be acknowledged that much of what we know about parenting behaviors in relation to adolescents’ adjustment problems comes from samples in the US (El‐Sheikh, Hinnant, Kelly & Erath, ), Canada (Park, Johnston, Colalillo & Williamson, ), or Europe (Symeou & Georgiou, ). This actually raises a critical issue, that is, whether the findings demonstrated in Western societies can be generalized to a wider population such as Eastern culture.…”

Bridging the theory to evidence gap: a systematic review and analysis of individual × environment models of child development

“…Measures of the psychological control construct include low autonomy granting, high intrusiveness, excessive negative control and manipulation and over-control. Children of parents who use the psychological control behaviours in excess tend to have more internalizing behaviours (Möller et al 2016;Pinquart 2016aPinquart , 2017Pettit et al 2001;Symeou & Georgiou 2017), and in some cases more externalizing behaviours (Pettit et al 2001;Symeou & Georgiou 2017). The negative effects of parental psychological control can also be larger in later developmental stages when children require more autonomy to function adequately within social structures (Barber & Harmon 2002;Luyckx et al 2007;Soenens et al 2005).…”