A Path Model of Parent Pathology, Family Functioning, and Parent Report of Child Behavioral Problems From A Strengthening Families Program (SFP) for Coas

This analysis tested a model of relationships between parent pathology (aggression, depression, and alcohol problems), family functioning, and parent report of child behavioral problems across four waves of data in a sample of children who had a parent with alcohol problems.  The sample consists of the 674 families who completed four planned assessments over 16 months.  Families living in the Buffalo Metropolitan Area or southern Ontario, having a child between 9-12 and a parent with diagnosable alcohol problems were recruited. Of the primary enrolled parents, 61% were white, 23% were never married, 26% had not graduated from high school, 47% were unemployed, and 46% received non-cash benefits. Children were 47% female and had a mean age of 11 years. The measures consisted of parent pathology (anger/hostility, depression, and alcohol problems), family functioning, and parent report of child behavioral problems. The initial panel model had a poor fit (χ² = 271.746, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.91, SRMR = 0.089, RMSEA = 0.094).  Modifications were indicated for allowing current parent pathology to predict current family functioning and current family functioning to predict current child behavior. Results for the adjusted model showed a good fit (χ² = 86.46, df = 35, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98, SRMR = 0.057, RMSEA = 0.047).  Findings suggest that within time points higher pathology was associated with poorer family functioning and poorer family functioning was associated with poorer child behavior. However, there was a reversal in sign for the preceding assessments, suggesting that poorer parent pathology was associated with better family functioning, and poorer family functioning was associated with reduced child behavior problems in subsequent assessments.  While associations within current assessments were consistent with expectations, the results across time suggest that parents who were doing poorly may have recognized a need to work on problems, resulting in the reversal of the relationships across time.