Poster #26 - Parent-child Communication and Early Adolescents’ Coping Strategies: The Mediating Role of Sibling Relationship

• In Event: Poster Session 11

Abstract

The relationship shared between parents and children has been found to contribute significantly to the coping strategies that children use (Pantaleo & Ohannessian, 2019). Additionally, previous literature supports the notion that both mothers and fathers have a unique, significant impact on the coping strategies of their child (Gentzler et. al., 2005). For example, Simpson et al. (2020) reported that mother-child communication significantly predicted the use of active coping strategy for both boys and girls, whereas father-child communication did not. Furthermore, while mother-child communication was found to predict the use of children’s active coping, there were no such findings related to the use of distraction and problem-focused coping strategies. The aforementioned findings suggests that perhaps children’s coping strategies are differentially impacted by both mothers and fathers, which in turn, impacts which coping strategy they ultimately employ.
According to Family systems theory, sibling relationships are an integral part of children’s positive development. As siblings typically spend copious amounts of time together, early adolescents in particular, are more likely to target siblings for disclosure as compared to their parents and friends, which often fosters sibling trust and emotional support (Howe, et. al., 2001). Given the importance of this relationship, coupled with previous literature’s emphasis on the importance of the relationship between parents and children, it is possible that sibling support serves as a mediating mechanism between parent-child communication and children's coping strategies.
To this end, the goals of the present study were twofold: 1) To examine whether parent- child communication directly influenced distinct coping strategies used by children, separately for mothers and fathers, and 2) To test whether sibling support mediated the relationship between parent-child communication and early adolescent's coping strategies. Using STATA, structural equation models tested the mediating role of sibling support (Time 2) on parent-child communication (Time 1) and three distinct coping strategies: active, distraction, and problem solving (Time 3), separately for mothers and fathers. Models included the covariates, gender, age, and race/ethnicity. Participants were N= 1,561 adolescents recruited for middle and high schools located in the Northeastern region of the United States.
Findings were such that, mother-child communication had a direct significant impact on the child's use of all three coping strategies: active (b= .01, p= .00), distraction (b= .00, p= .00), and problem solving (b= .01, p= .00). Similarly, communication with fathers was found to have a significant impact on the use of all three coping strategies: active (b= .01, p= .00), distraction (b= .00, p= .00), and problem solving (b= .01, p= .00). Regarding mediation effects, sibling support partially mediated the relationship between mother-child communication and coping strategies (b= .03, p=.00). Sibling support was also found to partially mediate the relationship between communication with father and coping strategies (b= .02, p= .00). In line with Family systems theory, findings underscore the importance of taking into consideration that impact of all family dynamics on early adolescent’s development. Implications relating to findings warrants further discussion.

Authors

• Megha Garg, University of Delaware
  Presenting Author

• Mellissa Gordon, University of Delaware

• Christine McCauley Ohannessian, Florida State University