The relationship between dyadic parent-child cohesion and adolescents' self-concept

The current study investigated the relationships between mother-child, father-child, parent-cohesion, and children’s self-concept. Participants included 30 early adolescents (ages 10 to 15 years) from intact family arrangements. Children completed a modified version of the Family System Test (FAST) to assess levels of parent-child cohesion. The Piers-Harris 2 was used to evaluate dimensions of self-concept. A series of sequential multiple regressions were performed to determine the relationships parent-child cohesion variables had with self-concept constructs, after controlling for the children’s sex and typical grades. Only father-child cohesion scores significantly related to adolescents’ ratings on specific facets of self-concept (i.e., Behavioral Adjustment, Intellectual and School Status), suggesting that children who report feeling closer to their fathers also endorsed items reflecting less problematic behavior and more intellectual/academic competence. Findings suggest mothers and fathers contribute differentially to adolescents’ self-concept. Implications for parental education and ensuring children have a caring, male role model are discussed. Limitations to the study included issues with sample size, generalizability, and data collection