The relation among financial strain, parenting, parent self-esteem, and adolescent self-esteem

In this study, it was hypothesized that mothers' and fathers' financial strain would be associated negatively with adolescent global self-esteem indirectly through mothers' and fathers' global self-esteem and the adolescents' perceptions of supportive parenting. The 198 daughters and 200 sons in this study came from intact homes in the rural Midwest, a geographic area characterized by economic uncertainty and decline. The results showed that mothers' and fathers' financial strain was related negatively to global self-esteem for mothers and fathers. For mother/daughter and father/daughter dyads, parental financial strain was related negatively and indirectly to daughters' global self-esteem through parental global self-esteem. In mother/son dyads, maternal financial strain was associated negatively with supportive parenting. In father/daughter and father/son dyads, paternal financial strain was associated negatively with supportive parenting. This lack of parental support of mothers for sons, and of fathers both for daughters and sons, was related to lower self-esteem for adolescents.