Citation

Ponnet K, Wouters E, Mortelmans D, Pasteels I, De Backer C, Van Leeuwen K, Van Hiel A. Fam. Process 2013; 52(2): 312-324.

Affiliation

Research Centre for Longitudinal and Life Course Studies, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium; Media & ICT in Organizations and Society, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Family Process Institute, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/famp.12001

PMID

23763689

Abstract

This study examines how parenting stress and depressive symptoms experienced by mothers and fathers influence their own (actor effects) and the partner's (partner effects) parent-child communication. Based on the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model, data from 196 families were analyzed, with both parents rating their parenting stress and depressive feelings, and parents as well as children rating the open parent-child communication. Actor effects were found between parenting stress and open parent-child communication, whereas partner effects were prominent between depressive symptoms and open parent-child communication. The results provide no evidence for gender differences in the strength of the pathways to open parent-child communication. Our findings demonstrate the need to include both parents in studies on parent-child communication to enhance our understanding of the mutual influence among family members.

Language: en