A Model of the Effects of Parental Illness on Youth Adjustment and Family Functioning: The Moderating Effects of Psychological Flexibility on Youth Caregiving and Stress

Giulia Landi, Kenneth Ian Pakenham, Mariagrazia Benassi, Sara Giovagnoli, Eliana Tossani and Silvana Grandi
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Giulia Landi: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Kenneth Ian Pakenham: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
Mariagrazia Benassi: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Sara Giovagnoli: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Eliana Tossani: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Silvana Grandi: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 9, 1-16

Abstract: Parental chronic illness may adversely impact youth and family functioning. This study examined a moderated mediation model of the effects of parental illness on youth and family functioning derived from the Family Ecology Framework. Consistent with this model, we predicted that youth caregiving and stress would serially mediate the adverse impacts of parental illness on youth adjustment and family functioning and that psychological flexibility would moderate these mediational mechanisms. A total of 387 youth, with parents affected by chronic illness, completed a questionnaire assessing parental illness severity, youth caregiving and stress, psychological flexibility, youth adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems and psychological wellbeing), and family functioning. Path analyses indicated that the adverse effects of parental illness on youth adjustment and family functioning were serially mediated by youth caregiving and stress. Psychological flexibility buffered the adverse effects of these serial mediators on youth internalizing problems and psychological wellbeing. These findings identified three potential intervention targets: youth caregiving, related stress appraisals, and psychological flexibility. Given the large body of evidence showing that acceptance and commitment therapy fosters psychological flexibility, this intervention approach has the potential to address the psychosocial and mental health vulnerabilities of youth in the context of parental illness, which constitutes a serious public health issue.

Keywords: parental illness; youth caregiving; youth adjustment; family functioning; stress; psychological flexibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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