Dysfunctional Individuation Mediates the Relationship between Family Intrusiveness

Dysfunctional Individuation Mediates the Relationship between Family Intrusiveness and Adaptation in Adolescence Mary Mc. Keever, Paul C. Stey, Gaunqi Hang, Corinne Vitorri, & Daniel Lapsley Available at: www. nd. edu/~dlapsle 1/Lab Background Results According to family systems theory, families differ in the degree to which they encourage the individuation of their adolescents. In well-differentiated families individuation is encouraged by a flexible balance between autonomygranting and appropriate boundaries. Poorly-differentiated families intrude upon and restrict the autonomy seeking of adolescents insofar as individuation is viewed as a betrayal of the family (Gavazzi et al. , 1998). Although research has shown that heightened levels of family intrusiveness are related to a poorer profile of psychological and social adjustment (Gavazzi et al. , 1999; Eaker & Walters, 2002), little is known about the mechanisms that explain this relationship. • Family intrusiveness was positively associated with several college adjustment problems: self-esteem problems, r =. 26, p <. 001, interpersonal problems, r = . 37, p <. 001, and academic problems, r =. 32, p <. 001 • Family intrusiveness was related to a variety of indices of psychiatric symptoms: depression, r =. 27, p <. 001, interpersonal sensitivity, r =. 26, p <. 001, and anxiety, r = . 27, p <. 001 • Dysfunctional individuation was positively correlated with family intrusiveness, r =. 41, p <. 01 Table 1. Summary of Correlations. The meditational hypothesis was examined with structural equation modeling (SEM). Results showed that the relationships between family intrusiveness and two latent factors, one representing college adjustment problems, and one representing psychiatric symptoms, was mediated by dysfunctional individuation. Mardia’s coefficient indicated the data were not multivariate normal, thus, robust statistics were used to evaluate the model fit. Analyses revealed the model provided good fit, Satorra– Bentler ²(8, N = 406) = 1. 87, p =. 98, CFI = 1. 00, RMSEA =. 00, with indirect effects of family intrusiveness on college adjustment problems (standardized coefficient = . 30, p <. 05), and psychiatric symptoms (standardized coefficient =. 25, p <. 05). Purpose The goals of this study are threefold: • We extend the research on family intrusiveness and adjustment by examining outcomes measures novel to this literature, including psychiatric symptoms and various college adjustment indices • We test the link between family intrusiveness and dysfunctional individuation • We examine whether dysfunctional individuation meditates the relationship between family intrusiveness and adjustment outcomes Conclusions and Implications Method Participants: Late adolescents (N = 406, Mage = 19. 4, 206 female) recruited from a Midwestern university Procedure: The participants responded to the Dysfunctional Individuation Scale (Lapsley et al. , 2001, alpha =. 91), the Family Intrusiveness Scale (Gavazzi et al. , 1998, alpha = . 90), the College Adjustment Scales (Anton & Reed, 1991, alpha =. 84 –. 93), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 1975, alpha =. 78 –. 87). Figure 1. SEM model of dysfunctional individuation mediating the relationship between college adjustment problems as well as psychiatric symptomatology. The model had good fit, Satorra– Bentler ²(8, N = 406) = 1. 87, p =. 98, CFI = 1. 00, RMSEA =. 00, with indirect effects of family intrusiveness on college adjustment problems (standardized coefficient =. 30, p <. 05), and psychiatric symptoms (standardized coefficient =. 25, p <. 05). Note: Standardized path coefficients appear in parentheses below the unstandardized path coefficients. * p <. 05. The present findings extend the literature in several ways. First, we document the relationship between family intrusiveness and psychiatric symptoms as well as college adjustment. Second, we show that family intrusiveness and dysfunctional individuation are strongly associated. Third, we demonstrate that the relationship between family intrusiveness and adaptation is mediated by dysfunctional individuation. The full conference report will discuss limitations and future directions. Association for Psychological Science Chicago, May 2012