PARENTAL DOMINANCE CONFLICT AND DISCIPLINARY COERCIVENESS IN FAMILIES OF FEMALE SCHIZOPHRENICS

Investigated relations between the premorbid adjustment of female schizophrenics and family interactions. 15 good premorbid (GPM), 15 poor premorbid (PPM), and 15 nonpsychiatric control (N-PC) daughters and parents were compared on measures from a structured situational test, parental self-reports, and daughters' retrospective ascriptions of parental attitudes. Predictions of group differences in interparental dominance, and conflict level were weakly supported. N-PC parents attributed more disciplinary coerciveness to themselves than parents of schizophrenics. Greatest discrepancy between parents' and daughters' coerciveness ratings occured in PPM families, and discrepancy related inversely to quality of premorbid adjustment. N-PC mothers reported the greatest range of coerciveness, whereas fathers and daughters did not report such differences. PPM daughters ascribed stronger domineering or controlling tendencies to their mothers and fathers toward themselves than GPMs or N-PCs. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved). © 1969 American Psychological Association.