Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.5559/di.23.1.03
Adolescent Appraisals of Family Security as a Mediator of the Effect of Family Instability on Adolescent Self-Esteem
Marina Merkaš
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar, Zagreb
Abstract
The aim of this two-wave study was to examine the mediating
role of adolescent appraisals of family security in the relation
between family instability and adolescent self-esteem in a sample
of 377 adolescents and their mothers. Mothers' reports of family
instability at Time 1 were significantly and positively associated
with adolescent appraisals of family insecurity at Time 1 and
Time 2. Adolescent self-esteem at Time 2 was significantly and
negatively related to family instability at T1 and family insecurity
at Time 1 and Time 2. Findings from structural equation models
supported the hypothesis that family instability undermines adolescents' self-esteem one year later by directly threatening adolescents' appraisals of family as a safe and secure system. The results indicated that adolescent appraisals fully mediated the
relation between family instability and adolescent self-esteem.
The implications of the findings for adolescent development in a
secure and stable family environment are discussed and suggestions
for further process-oriented research on the relation between
family instability and adolescent development are stated.
Keywords
family instability; security in the family system; self-esteem; adolescence
Hrčak ID:
121878
URI
Publication date:
1.3.2014.
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