This study explored the relationship between adolescent mental health, parental depression, and family environment for children and adolescents accessing intensive mental health treatment. The study had two aims. Aim one was to identify the severity of externalizing behaviors versus internalizing behaviors in children and adolescents accessing intensive mental health treatment and to determine the nature of gender differences in such behaviors. Aim two was to explore the relationship between adolescent mental health, parental depression, and family environment. Results indicated that children and adolescents accessing intensive mental health treatment were more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors than internalizing behaviors, and female adolescents were more likely to exhibit externalizing behaviors than were male adolescents. In relation to the second aim, there was a significant relationship between parental depression and internalizing behaviors in children and adolescents, such that parents who reported more symptoms of depression were more likely to report that their children and adolescents exhibited internalizing behaviors. Family environment and gender had the greatest influence on externalizing behaviors such that families with female adolescents and who reported lower levels of connection within the family were also more likely to report that their children and adolescents exhibited externalizing behaviors. Lastly, parents who perceived that their children and adolescents were exhibiting externalizing behaviors were more likely to report less access to relationships both internally (i.e. their spouse) and externally (i.e. childcare, friends). Conversely, only one of the internalizing behaviors, depression, was related to access to internal and external family relationships. Parents who perceived that their children and adolescents were displaying more depressive symptoms were also more likely to report less access to relationships. Findings from the current study highlight the need to understand the families of children and adolescents who access intensive mental health treatment to better tailor prevention and intervention efforts. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Family and Child Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2014. / March 25, 2014. / Adolescent, Intensive Mental Health Treatment, Parental Depresion / Includes bibliographical references. / Wayne Denton, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michèle Preyde, Professor Directing Dissertation; Joyce L. Carbonell, University Representative; B. Kay Pasley, Committee Member; Ming Cui, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_185260 |
| Contributors | Helfrich, Christine M. (authoraut), Denton, Wayne (professor directing dissertation), Preyde, Michèle (professor directing dissertation), Carbonell, Joyce L. (university representative), Pasley, B. Kay (committee member), Cui, Ming (committee member), Department of Family and Child Sciences (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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