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Predictors of Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents’ Parents

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Abstract

Informed by theories about processes in families with adolescent children, this study examined the contribution of self-perceived decline in physical and cognitive functioning related to midlife, marital satisfaction, and parent–child conflict to psychological well-being of parents of young adolescents. Parental well-being was conceptualized within Ryff’s multidimensional model, which encompasses six dimensions: Autonomy, Self-Acceptance, Environmental Mastery, Positive Relationships with Others, Personal Growth, and Purpose in Life. In examining relationships between parental well-being and supposed predictors, sociodemographic variables (parental age and education), perceived general life stress, and perceived available social support were controlled for. Participants were Croatian mothers (N = 356) and fathers (N = 328) whose oldest child was transitioning to adolescence. Overall, the patterns of associations between the studied predictors and well-being dimensions were similar for mothers and fathers. The main finding of the study was that individual differences in the psychological well-being of adolescents’ parents may be more attributable to self-perceived midlife changes (particularly for mothers) and marital satisfaction (particularly for fathers) than to perceived level of parent–adolescent conflict.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is based on data collected within research project No. 130-1301683-1400 (Parents’ personality and parenting during child’s transition to adolescence), supported by Ministry of Science, Education & Sports of the Republic of Croatia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lucica 3, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Gordana Keresteš, Irma Brković & Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić

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  1. Gordana Keresteš
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  2. Irma Brković
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  3. Gordana Kuterovac Jagodić
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Correspondence to Gordana Keresteš.

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Keresteš, G., Brković, I. & Kuterovac Jagodić, G. Predictors of Psychological Well-Being of Adolescents’ Parents. J Happiness Stud 13, 1073–1089 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-011-9307-1

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