A description of the psychological functioning of adolescents living in polygamist (FLDS) and non-polygamist (LDS) families.

• In Event: Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

One of the most understudied groups of children, adolescents, and families in the US are those living in polygamy. There approximately 10,000 individuals (including children) who live in plural families within the US. The majority of these individuals are members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) who live along the Utah Arizona border in the towns of Hilldale UT and Colorado City AZ. These families often consist of one husband and 3-4 plural wives and may have greater than 10 children who are under the age of 18 years. The current leader of the FLDS church, Warren Jeffs, is reported to have 87 wives, with the youngest being 12-years-old. Because of the secretive and secluded nature of this group, where members are largely forbidden from communicating with non-members, very little is known about this population. The goal of this study was to compare the behavioral functioning of adolescents living in polygamous households in terms of externalizing, internalizing, as well as adaptive behaviors with adolescents not residing in polygamous households.

Thirty-six mothers of teenagers (13 to 18-years of age) living in FLDS polygamous households were recruited for participation. Similarly, 36 mothers of teenagers (13 to 18-years of age) not living in FLDS polygamous households were also recruited for participation. Recruitment of mothers living in polygamy occurred through a current FLDS polygamist female who is transitioning out of the FLDS faith yet maintains contact with other FLDS polygamist females, i.e., mothers. Recruitment of mothers not living in FLDS polygamist families occurred within a geographically similar location, i.e. Cedar City, UT. All participants completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children, Third Edition (BASC™-3) Parental Rating Scale. Mothers were asked to complete the 175-item questionnaire for their oldest biological teenager who is between 13- and 17-years of age and is still living at home. The BASC-3 was chosen as it captures externalizing, internalizing as well as adaptive behaviors in clinical and non-clinical samples. All surveys were administered by a trained research assistant. Unfortunately, and due to closed nature of the FLDS community, we were not able to conduct follow-up interviews.

Results within the Behavioral Symptoms index revealed differences in adaptability and functional communication, t (70) = 4.8, p<.01; t (70) = 3.6, p<.01 where adolescents living in FLDS polygamist households showed greater T-scores than adolescents living in non-FLDS polygamist households. Differences also occurred within the Externalizing scale. FLDS adolescents had higher T-scores on the Hyperactivity and Aggression subscales, t (70) = 3.3, p<.01; t (70) = 2.6, p<.05. These differences may be attributed to the unique authoritarian and/or strict adherence to parental and religious rules within the FLDS community. We are currently examining the effects of family composition in terms of number of siblings, number sister wives, and birth order, etc. This research, while exploratory, is important as it is sheds light on a currently understudied religious and family context and provides a descriptive picture of adolescent’s behaviors within a polygamist context.

Author

• Ross Flom, Southern Utah Unviersity
  Presenting Author