Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T12:39:36.027Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Strength-based parenting and adolescents’ psychological outcomes: The role of mental toughness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2019

Ali Serdar Sağkal*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Department of Counseling and Guidance, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey
Yalçın Özdemir
Affiliation:
Faculty of Education, Department of Counseling and Guidance, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects (via mental toughness) of strength-based parenting on adolescents’ psychological distress and subjective happiness. Participants included 370 adolescents (M = 15.86 years, SD = 0.50, range = 14–18 years, 51.6% girls) attending public high schools in Turkey. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires that included measures of strength-based parenting, mental toughness, psychological distress, and subjective happiness. Findings provided evidence of both direct as well as indirect effects (via mental toughness) of strength-based parenting on adolescents’ psychological outcomes. Specifically, results showed that strength-based parenting was negatively and directly related to psychological distress, and positively and directly related to subjective happiness. In addition, strength-based parenting was indirectly related to psychological distress and subjective happiness through mental toughness. The findings highlight the importance of strength-based parenting and mental toughness on psychological outcomes in adolescents.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allan, B. A., & Duffy, R. D. (2014). Examining moderators of signature strengths use and well-being: Calling and signature strengths level. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 323337. doi: 10.1007/s10902-013-9424-0 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andersen, S. L., & Teicher, M. H. (2008). Stress, sensitive periods and maturational events in adolescent depression. Trends in Neurosciences, 31, 183191. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2008.01.004 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 411423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, B. K. (1996). Parental psychological control: Revisiting a neglected construct. Child Development, 67, 32963319. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01915.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barber, B. K., & Harmon, E. L. (2002). Violating the self: Parental psychological control of children and adolescents. In Barber, B. K. (Ed.), Intrusive parenting: How psychological control affects children and adolescents (pp. 1552). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baumrind, D. (1991). The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance use. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 11, 5695. doi: 10.1177/0272431691111004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Biswas-Diener, R., Kashdan, T. B., & Minhas, G. (2011). A dynamic approach to psychological strength development and intervention. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 6, 106118. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2010.545429 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bleys, D., Soenens, B., Claes, S., Vliegen, N., & Luyten, P. (2018). Parental psychological control, adolescent self-criticism, and adolescent depressive symptoms: A latent change modeling approach in Belgian adolescents. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 74, 18331853. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22632 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bollich, K. L., Johannet, P. M., & Vazire, S. (2011). In search of our true selves: Feedback as a path to self-knowledge. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, 16. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00312 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brand, S., Kalak, N., Gerber, M., Clough, P. J., Lemola, S., Pühse, U., & Holsboer-Trachsler, E. (2016). During early and mid-adolescence, greater mental toughness is related to increased sleep quality and quality of life. Journal of Health Psychology, 21, 905915. doi: 10.1177/1359105314542816 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Byrne, B. M. (2010). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Clough, P., Earle, K., & Sewell, D. (2002). Mental Toughness: The concept and its measurement. In Cockerill, I. (Ed.), Solutions in sport psychology (pp. 3246). London: Thomson Learning.Google Scholar
Crust, L., Earle, K., Perry, J., Earle, F., Clough, A., & Clough, P. J. (2014). Mental toughness in higher education: Relationships with achievement and progression in first-year University sports students. Personality and Individual Differences, 69, 8791. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.05.016 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Douglass, R. P., & Duffy, R. D. (2015). Strengths use and life satisfaction: A moderated mediation approach. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16, 619632. doi: 10.1007/s10902-014-9525-4 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fay-Stammbach, T., Hawes, D. J., & Meredith, P. (2014). Parenting influences on executive function in early childhood: A review. Child Development Perspectives, 8, 258264. doi: 10.1111/cdep.12095 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerber, M., Kalak, N., Lemola, S., Clough, P. J., Perry, J. L., Pühse, U., … Brand, S. (2013). Are adolescents with high mental toughness levels more resilient against stress? Stress and Health, 29, 164171. doi: 10.1002/smi.2447 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gordon, S., & Gucciardi, D. F. (2011). A strengths-based approach to coaching mental toughness. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 2, 143155. doi: 10.1080/21520704.2011.598222 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Govindji, R., & Linley, P. A. (2007). Strengths use, self-concordance and well-being: Implications for strengths coaching and coaching psychologists. International Coaching Psychology Review, 2, 143153.Google Scholar
Greeff, A. P., & Van Der Merwe, S. (2004). Variables associated with resilience in divorced families. Social Indicators Research, 68, 5975. doi: 410.1023/B:SOCI.0000025569.95499.b5 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gucciardi, D. F., & Gordon, S. (Eds.). (2011). Mental toughness in sport: Developments in theory and research. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Gucciardi, D. F., Gordon, S., & Dimmock, J. A. (2009). Advancing mental toughness research and theory using personal construct psychology. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2, 5472. doi: 10.1080/17509840802705938 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gucciardi, D. F., & Jones, M. I. (2012). Beyond optimal performance: Mental toughness profiles and developmental success in adolescent cricketers. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 34, 1636. doi: 10.1123/jsep.34.1.16 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ingram, R. E., & Luxton, D. D. (2005). Vulnerability-stress models. In Hankin, B. L., and Abela, J. R. Z. (Eds.), Development of psychopathology: A vulnerability stress perspective (pp. 3246). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jach, H. K., Sun, J., Loton, D., Chin, T-C., & Waters, L. E. (2018). Strengths and subjective wellbeing in adolescence: Strength-based parenting and the moderating effect of mindset. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19, 567586. doi: 10.1007/s10902-016-9841-y Google Scholar
Jones, G. (2002). What is this thing called mental toughness? An investigation of elite sport performers. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14, 205218. doi: 10.1080/10413200290103509 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kritzas, N., & Grobler, A. A. (2005). The relationship between perceived parenting styles and resilience during adolescence. Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 17, 112. doi: 10.2989/17280580509486586 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lamborn, S. D., Mounts, N. S., Steinberg, L., & Dornbusch, S. M. (1991). Patterns of competence and adjustment among adolescent from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child Development, 62, 10491065. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1991.tb01588.x CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lerner, R. M., & Galambos, N. L. (1998). Adolescent development: Challenges and opportunities for research, programs, and policies. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 413446. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.49.1.413 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Linley, P. A. (2008). Average to A+: Realising strengths in yourself and others. Coventry, UK: CAPP Press.Google Scholar
Linley, P. A., & Harrington, S. (2006). Strengths coaching: A potential-guided approach to coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 1, 3746.Google Scholar
Linley, P. A., Nielsen, K. M., Gillett, R., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2010). Using signature strengths in pursuit of goals: Effects on goal progress, need satisfaction, and well-being, and implications for coaching psychologists. International Coaching Psychology Review, 5, 615.Google Scholar
Loton, D. J., & Waters, L. E. (2017). The mediating effect of self-efficacy in the connections between strength-based parenting, happiness and psychological distress in teens. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 113. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01707 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lovibond, P. F., & Lovibond, S. H. (1995). The structure of negative emotional states: Comparison of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) with the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 335343. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-U CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lyubomirsky, S., & Lepper, H. S. (1999). A measure of subjective happiness: Preliminary reliability and construct validation. Social Indicators Research, 46, 137155.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madden, W., Green, S., & Grant, A. M. (2011). A pilot study evaluating strengths-based coaching for primary school students: Enhancing engagement and hope. International Coaching Psychology Review, 6, 7183.Google Scholar
McGeown, S. P., St Clair-Thompson, H., & Clough, P. (2016). The study of non-cognitive attributes in education: Proposing the mental toughness framework. Educational Review, 68, 96113. doi: 10.1080/00131911.2015.1008408 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGeown, S., St Clair-Thompson, H., & Putwain, D. W. (2018). The development and validation of a Mental Toughness Scale for Adolescents. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 36, 148161. doi: 10.1177/0734282916673512 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nicholls, A. R., Polman, R. C. J., Levy, A., & Backhouse, S. H. (2008). Mental toughness, optimism, pessimism, and coping among athletes. Personality and Individual Differences, 44, 11821192. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2007.11.011 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Özdemir, Y., & Koruklu, N. (2011). Üniversite öğrencilerinde değerler ve mutluluk arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi [Investigating relationship between values and happiness among university students]. Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 8, 190210.Google Scholar
Özdemir, Y., Vazsonyi, A. T., & Çok, F. (2013). Parenting processes and aggression: The role of self-control among Turkish adolescents. Journal of Adolescence, 36, 6577. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.09.004 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Özdemir, Y., Vazsonyi, A. T., & Çok, F. (2017). Parenting processes, self-esteem, and aggression: A mediation model. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14, 509532. doi: 10.1080/17405629.2016.1240674 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Preacher, K. J., & Hayes, A. F. (2008). Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models. Behavior Research Methods, 40, 879891. doi: 10.3758/BRM.40.3.879 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Proctor, C., Maltby, J., & Linley, P. A. (2011). Strengths use as a predictor of well-being and health-related quality of life. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12, 153169. doi: 10.1007/s10902-009-9181-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinlan, D. M., Swain, N., Cameron, C., & Vella-Brodrick, D. A. (2015). How ‘other people matter’ in a classroom-based strengths intervention: Exploring interpersonal strategies and classroom outcomes. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 10, 7789. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2014.920407 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 6878. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.55.1.68 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sağkal, A. S., & Özdemir, Y. (2018a, October). Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the Strength-Based Parenting (SBP) Scale. Paper presented at the meeting of 2nd Women Congress: Gaining Power and Advancement rather than Empowerment, İzmir.Google Scholar
Sağkal, A. S., & Özdemir, Y. (2018b, March). Turkish validation of Mental Toughness Scale for Adolescents. Paper presented at the meeting of International Congress on Science and Education, Afyon.Google Scholar
Santrock, J. W. (2014). A topical approach to life-span development (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.Google Scholar
Sarı, S. A., Bilek, G., & Çelik, E. (2018). Test anxiety and self-esteem in senior high school students: A cross-sectional study. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 72, 8488. doi: 10.1080/08039488.2017.1389986 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sarıçam, H. (2018). The psychometric properties of Turkish version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) in health control and clinical samples. Journal of Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy and Research, 7, 1930. doi: 10.5455/JCBPR.274847 Google Scholar
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60, 410421. doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sheely-Moore, A., & Bratton, S. (2010). A strengths-based parenting intervention with low-income African American families. Professional School Counseling, 13, 175183. doi: 10.1177/2156759X1001300305 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheldon, K. M., Jose, P. E., Kashdan, T. B., & Jarden, A. (2015). Personality, effective goal-striving, and enhanced well-being: Comparing 10 candidate personality strengths. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41, 575585. doi: 10.1177/0146167215573211 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Soenens, B., Deci, E. L., & Vansteenkiste, M. (2017). How parents contribute to children’s psychological health: The critical role of psychological need support. In Wehmeyer, M. L., Shogren, K. A., Little, T. D., and Lopez, S. J. (Eds.), Development of self-determination through the life-course (pp. 171187). Dordrecht: Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
St Clair-Thompson, H., Bugler, M., Robinson, J., Clough, P., McGeown, S. P., & Perry, J. (2015). Mental toughness in education: Exploring relationships with attainment, attendance, behaviour and peer relationships. Educational Psychology, 35, 886907. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2014.895294 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
St Clair-Thompson, H., Giles, R., McGeown, S. P., Putwain, D., Clough, P., & Perry, J. (2017). Mental toughness and transitions to high school and to undergraduate study. Educational Psychology, 37, 792809. doi: 10.1080/01443410.2016.1184746 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stamp, E., Crust, L., Swann, C., Perry, J., Clough, P., & Marchant, D. (2015). Relationships between mental toughness and psychological wellbeing in undergraduate students. Personality and Individual Differences, 75, 170174. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.11.038 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steinberg, L., & Morris, A. S. (2001) Adolescent development. Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 83110. doi: 10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.83 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suldo, S. M., Savage, J. A., & Mercer, S. H. (2014). Increasing middle school students’ life satisfaction: Efficacy of a positive psychology group intervention. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15, 1942. doi: 10.1007/s10902-013-9414-2 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Szabó, M. (2010). The short version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21): Factor structure in a young adolescent sample. Journal of Adolescence, 33, 18. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2009.05.014 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2007). Using multivariate statistics (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Villasana, M., Alonso-Tapia, J., & Ruiz, M. (2016). A model for assessing coping and its relation to resilience in adolescence from the perspective of ‘person-situation interaction’. Personality and Individual Differences, 98, 250256. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2016.04.053 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waters, L. (2015a). Strength-based parenting and life satisfaction in teenagers. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2, 158173. doi: 10.14738/assrj.211.1651 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waters, L. (2015b). The relationship between strength-based parenting with children’s stress levels and strength-based coping approaches. Psychology, 6, 689699. doi: 10.4236/psych.2015.66067 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waters, L., Loton, D., & Jach, H. K. (2018). Does strength-based parenting predict academic achievement? The mediating effects of perseverance and engagement. Journal of Happiness Studies, 120. doi: 10.1007/s10902-018-9983-1 Google Scholar
Waters, L., & Sun, J. (2016). Can a brief strength-based parenting intervention boost self-efficacy and positive emotions in parents? International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, 1, 4156. doi: 10.1007/s41042-017-0007-x CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williamson, V., Creswell, C., Fearon, P., Hiller, R. M., Walker, J., & Halligan, S. L. (2017). The role of parenting behaviors in childhood post-traumatic stress disorder: A meta-analytic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 53, 113. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.01.005 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wood, A. M., Linley, P. A., Maltby, J., Kashdan, T. B., & Hurling, R. (2011). Using personal and psychological strengths leads to increases in well-being over time: A longitudinal study and the development of the strengths use questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 50, 1519. doi: 10.1016/j.paid.2010.08.004 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhong, X., Wu, D., Nie, X., Xia, J., Li, M., Lei, F., … Mahendran, R. (2016). Parenting style, resilience, and mental health of community-dwelling elderly adults in China. BMC Geriatrics, 16, 18. doi: 10.1186/s12877-016-0308-0 CrossRefGoogle Scholar