Perceived parenting attitudes, perceived parental conflict, parenting stress and marital satisfaction as predictors of family functioning
摘要
This study examined the relationships among family functioning, parent sex, age of children, number of children, perceived parenting attitudes, perceived parental conflict, parenting stress, and marital satisfaction in a sample of 201 Turkish parents, 76.60% women (mean age = 38.64, SD = 4.46) and 22.90% men (mean age = 42.27, SD = 5.46) with children aged 0–12 years. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the predictive power of independent variables on family functioning measured by the Family Assessment Device (FAD). In the first step of the regression, parent sex, child age, and number of children were entered, but the model was not significant. In the second step, parenting stress and marital satisfaction were added, yielding a significant R² change. Higher FAD scores indicate greater dysfunctionality; parental stress was positively related to FAD scores, whereas marital satisfaction was negatively associated. This model explained 35% of the variance. In the third step, perceived parenting attitudes and perceived parental conflict (based on participants’ recollections of their parents) were added, producing a significant R² change that contributed an additional 9%. Having more than one child and higher parental stress were positively associated with family dysfunction, whereas emotional warmth received from both mothers and fathers in childhood, as well as present-day marital satisfaction, were negatively associated. Participants’ self-blame regarding parental conflict was positively related to FAD scores. The final model explained 44% of the variance. These findings suggest that family functioning is shaped by both present-day and past factors, underscoring the importance of incorporating both dimensions into family-focused interventions.