Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Family First? The Costs and Benefits of Family Centrality for Adolescents with High-Conflict Families

  • Empirical Research
  • Published:
Journal of Youth and Adolescence Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Youth who do not identify with or value their families (i.e., low family centrality) are considered to be at risk for maladjustment. However, the current study investigated whether low family centrality may be adaptive in negative family contexts (i.e., high family conflict) because youth’s self-worth should be less tied to the quality of their family relationships. Multilevel models using daily diaries and latent variable interactions using longitudinal questionnaires indicated that, among a sample of 428 Mexican American adolescents (49.8% male, M age = 15.02 years), lower family centrality was generally detrimental to youth’s well-being. However, for youth in adverse family environments, low family centrality ceased to function as a risk factor. The present findings suggest that family centrality values play a more nuanced role in youth well-being than previously believed, such that low family centrality may be an adaptive response to significant family challenges.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1991). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist/4-18 and 1991 profile. Burlington, VT: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alegria, M., Canino, G., Shrout, P. E., Woo, M., Duan, N., Vila, D., et al. (2008). Prevalence of mental illness in immigrant and non-immigrant U.S. Latino groups. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 165, 359–369. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07040704.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Barnett, M. A. (2008). Economic disadvantage in complex family systems: Expansion of family stress models. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 11, 145–161. doi:10.1007/s10567-008-0034-z.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bolger, N., Davis, A., & Rafaeli, E. (2003). Diary methods: Capturing life as it is lived. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 579–616. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.54.101601.145030.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bolger, N., & Zuckerman, A. (1995). A framework for studying personality in the stress process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69, 890–902. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.69.5.890.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bradford, K., Burns Vaughn, L., & Barber, B. K. (2008). When there is conflict: Interparental conflict, parent child conflict, and youth problem behaviors. Journal of Family Issues, 29, 780–805. doi:10.1177/0192513X07308043.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calderón-Tena, C. O., Knight, G. P., & Carlo, G. (2011). The socialization of prosocial behavioral tendencies among Mexican American adolescents: The role of familism values. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 17, 98–106. doi:10.1037/a0021825.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • California Department of Education (2011). Student poverty—Free and reduced price meals data 2011–2012. Retrieved from http://www.cde.ca.gov/ds/sd/sd/filessp.asp.

  • Cambron, M. J., Acitelli, L. K., & Steinberg, L. (2010). When friends make you blue: The role of friendship contingent self-esteem in predicting self-esteem and depressive symptoms. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 36, 384–397. doi:10.1177/0146167209351593.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cham, H., West, S. G., Ma, Y., & Aiken, L. S. (2012). Estimating latent variable interactions with nonnormal observed data: A comparison of four approaches. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 47, 840–876. doi:10.1080/00273171.2012.732901.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chung, G. H., Flook, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2009). Daily family conflict and emotional distress among adolescents from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds. Developmental Psychology, 45, 1406–1415. doi:10.1037/a0014163.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chung, G. H., Flook, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2011). Reciprocal associations between family and peer conflict in adolescents’ daily lives. Child Development, 82, 1390–1396. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01625.x.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Crocker, J., & Knight, K. M. (2005). Contingencies of self-worth. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 14, 200–203. doi:10.1111/j.0963-7214.2005.00364.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cummings, E. M., Koss, K. J., & Davies, P. T. (2015). Prospective relations between family conflict and adolescent maladjustment: Security in the family system as a mediating process. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43, 503–515. doi:10.1007/s10802-014-9926-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergus, S., & Zimmerman, M. A. (2005). Adolescent resilience: A framework for understanding healthy development in the face of risk. Annual Review of Public Health, 26, 399–419. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144357.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Palo Alto, CA: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flook, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2008). Family and school spillover in adolescents’ daily lives. Child Development, 79, 776–787. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01157.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fuligni, A. J., & Flook, L. (2005). A social identity approach to ethnic differences in family relationships during adolescence. In R. Kail (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (pp. 125–152). New York, NY: Academic Press. Vol. 33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuligni, A. J., Tseng, V., & Lam, M. (1999). Attitudes toward family obligations among American adolescents with Asian, Latin American, and European backgrounds. Child Development, 70, 1030–1044. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00075.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germán, M., Gonzales, N. A., & Dumka, L. (2009). Familism values as a protective factor for Mexican-origin adolescents exposed to deviant peers. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 29, 16–42. doi:10.1177/0272431608324475.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N. A., Cauce, A. M., & Mason, C. A. (1996). Interobserver agreement in the assessment of parental behavior and parent-adolescent conflict: African American mothers, daughters, and independent observers. Child Development, 67, 1483–1498. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01809.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, N. A., Dumka, L. E., Millsap, R. E., Gottschall, A., McClain, D. B., Wong, J. J., et al. (2012). Randomized trial of a broad preventive intervention for Mexican American adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 1–16. doi:10.1037/a0026063.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hamza, C. A., & Willoughby, T. (2011). Perceived parental monitoring, adolescent disclosure, and adolescent depressive symptoms: A longitudinal examination. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 40, 902–915. doi:10.1007/s10964-010-9604-8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hankin, B. L. (2009). Development of sex differences in depressive and co-occurring anxious symptoms during adolescence: Descriptive trajectories and potential explanations in a multiwave prospective study. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 38, 460–702. doi:10.1080/15374410902976288.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Hardway, C., & Fuligni, A. J. (2006). Dimensions of family connectedness among adolescents with Mexican, Chinese, and European backgrounds. Developmental Psychology, 42, 1246–1258. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.42.6.1246.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Higgins, E. T. (1987). Self-discrepancy: A theory relating self and affect. Psychological Review, 94, 319–340. doi:10.1037/0033-295X.94.3.319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • James, W. (1890). The principles of psychology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (Vol. 1).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Keijsers, L., Branje, S. J. T., Van der Valk, I. E., & Meeus, W. (2010). Reciprocal effects between parental solicitation, parental control, adolescent disclosure, and adolescent delinquency. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 20, 88–113. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2009.00631.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, D. A., & Judd, C. M. (1984). Estimating the nonlinear and interactive effects of latent variables. Psychological Bulletin, 96, 201–210. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.96.1.201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiang, L. (2011). Deriving daily purpose through daily events and role fulfillment among Asian American youth. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22, 185–198. doi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2011.00767.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kiang, L., & Fuligni, A. J. (2009). Ethnic identity and family processes among adolescents from Latin American, Asian, and European backgrounds. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38, 228–241. doi:10.1007/s10964-008-9353-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knight, G. P., & Carlo, G. (2012). Prosocial development among Mexican American youth. Child Development Perspectives, 6, 258–263. doi:10.1111/j.1750-8606.2012.00233.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlberg, J. A., Peña, J. B., & Zayas, L. H. (2010). Familism, parent-adolescent conflict, self-esteem, internalizing behaviors and suicide attempts among adolescent Latinas. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 41, 425–440. doi:10.1007/s10578-010-0179-0.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laursen, B., & Collins, W. A. (2004). Parent-child communication during adolescence. In A. L. Vangelisti (Ed.), Handbook of family communication (pp. 333–348). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laursen, B., & Collins, W. A. (2009). Parent-child relationships during adolescence. In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg (Eds), Handbook of adolescent psychology, Volume 2, Contextual influences on adolescent development. 3rd ed. (pp. 3–42). New York, NY: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorr, M., McNair, D. M., & Droppleman, L. F. (1971). Manual: profile of mood states. San Diego, CA: Educational and Industrial Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Wen, Z., & Hai, K. (2004). Structural equation models of latent interactions: evaluation of alternative estimation strategies and indicator construction. Psychological Methods, 9, 275–300. doi:10.1037/1082-989X.9.3.275.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, H. W., Wen, Z., Nagengast, B., & Hau, K. T. (2012). Structural equation models of latent interaction. In R. H. Hoyle (Ed.), Handbook of structural equation modeling. 1st ed. (pp. 436–458). New York, NY: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Muthén, L. K., & Muthén, B. O. (1998–2012). Mplus User’s Guide. 7th ed. Los Angeles, CA: Muthén & Muthén.

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens, T. J., Serpe, R. T., Thoits, P. A. (Eds) (2003). Advances in identity theory and research. New York, NY: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Phinney, J. S., Kim-Jo, T., Osorio, S., & Vilhjalmsdottir, P. (2005). Autonomy and relatedness in adolescent-parent disagreements: Ethnic and developmental factors. Journal of Adolescent Research, 20, 8–39. doi:10.1177/0743558404271237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomerantz, E. M., Qin, L., Wang, Q., & Chen, H. (2009). American and Chinese early adolescents’ inclusion of their relationships with their parents in their self-construals. Child Development, 80, 792–807. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01298.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prado, G., Pantin, H., Friones, E., Schwartz, S. J., Feaster, D., Huang, S., et al. (2007). A randomized controlled trial of a parent-centered intervention in preventing substance use and HIV risk behaviors in Hispanic adolescents. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 75, 914–926. doi:10.1037/0022-006X.75.6.914.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prinstein, M. J., & Aikins, J. W. (2004). Cognitive moderators of the longitudinal association between peer rejection and adolescent depressive symptoms. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 32, 147–158. doi:10.1023/B:JACP.0000019767.55592.63.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Repetti, R. L., Taylor, S. E., & Seeman, T. E. (2002). Risky families: family social environments and the mental and physical health of offspring. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 330–366. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.128.2.330.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, L. (2000). Youth violence: Do parents and families make a difference? National Institute of Justice Journal, 243, 31–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stets, J. E., & Burke, P. J. (2000). Identity theory and social identity theory. Social Psychology Quarterly, 63, 224–237. doi:10.2307/2695870.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stevens, E. N., Lovejoy, M. C., & Pittman, L. D. (2014). Understanding the relationship between actual:ideal discrepancies and depressive symptoms: A developmental examination. Journal of Adolescence, 37, 612–621. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.04.013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Telzer, E. H., Gonzales, N., & Fuligni, A. J. (2014). Family obligation values and family assistance behaviors: Protective and risk factors for Mexican–American adolescents’ substance use. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 43, 270–283. doi:10.1007/s10964-013-9941-5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Telzer, E. H., Tsai, K. M., Gonzales, N., & Fuligni, A. J. (2015). Mexican American adolescents’ family obligation values and behaviors: Links to internalizing symptoms across time and context. Developmental Psychology, 51, 75–86. doi:10.1037/a0038434.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsai, K. M., Telzer, E. H., & Fuligni, A. J. (2013). Continuity and discontinuity in perceptions of family relationships from adolescence to young adulthood. Child Development, 84, 471–484. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01858.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Yau, J. P., Tasopoulos-Chan, M., & Smetana, J. G. (2009). Disclosure to parents about everyday activities among American adolescents from Mexican, Chinese, and European backgrounds. Child Development, 80, 1481–1498. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01346.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Tom Weisner for assistance with study design and Daniel Berry for guidance on statistical analyses.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Author Contributions

E.T., A.F., N.G. conceived of the study design. C.Y. performed statistical analyses. C.Y., A.F., N.G., E.T. drafted the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA

    Cynthia X. Yuen

  2. University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Andrew J. Fuligni

  3. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA

    Nancy Gonzales

  4. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Eva H. Telzer

Authors
  1. Cynthia X. Yuen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrew J. Fuligni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nancy Gonzales
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eva H. Telzer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cynthia X. Yuen.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethical Approval

All procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board.

Informed Consent

Informed consent and assent were obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yuen, C.X., Fuligni, A.J., Gonzales, N. et al. Family First? The Costs and Benefits of Family Centrality for Adolescents with High-Conflict Families. J Youth Adolescence 47, 245–259 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0692-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0692-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation