Predictors of psychosocial adjustment in adolescents with chronically ill parents: testing the moderating role of family functioning and perceived social support
Predictors of psychosocial adjustment in adolescents with chronically ill parents: testing the moderating role of family functioning and perceived social support

Summary/Abstract: Studying the impact of parental physical illness on adolescents is a key component of psychological interventions designed to increase resilience. Our study examined the relationship between stress induced by parental chronic illness, overall family functioning, perceived social support, and psychosocial adjustment in adolescents. It has been pressumed that family functioning and perceived social support moderate the adverse impact of parental chronic ilness on adolescents’psychosocial adjustment. One hundred and twenty six Romanian adolescents completed a set of standardized measures. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression and moderation analysis with IBM SPSS. Compared to boys, girls reported a higher score on internalizing problems. The gender difference in externalizing problems was statistically marginal. Gender, stress associated with parental chronic illness, and perceived social support were predictors of internalizing problems, while general family functioning was a negative predictor of externalizing problems. Neither overall family functioning, nor perceived social support moderated the relationship between stress associated with parental chronic illness and psychosocial adjustment in our study sample. Stress induced by parental chronic illness is a risk factor for internalizing problems in adolescents, while healthy family functioning and availability of social support are protective factors. Moreover, the positive family functioning may be a protective factor against externalizing problems. Psychological interventions must pay attention to provide adolescents and their families with key abilities that contribute to resilient coping with stress.

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