PARENTS WORK OVERLOAD AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOR IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

This investigation examined a three-stage spillover process in which parents' stress and parent-adolescent relations mediated a link between parents' work overload and adolescent problem behavior. Adolescents in dual-earner families reported on parent-adolescent relations and their own problem behavior. Their parents provided reports of work overload, levels of stress, and parent-adolescent relations. Regression analyses revealed some support for a spillover model, but the mediators differed for mothers and fathers. That is, mother acceptance mediated the link between her work overload and changes in adolescent problem behavior over a 6-month period, whereas parent-adolescent conflict mediated the link between fathers' work overload and adolescent problem behavior. An examination of mothers and fathers together suggested that parent-adolescent conflict was highest when both parents were stressed. Moreover, mother acceptance appeared to buffer the link between parent-adolescent conflict and adolescent problem behavior. Future research should examine different qualities of parent-adolescent relations when considering the potential impact of parents' work on adolescent behavior, and should include data from both parents when possible.