Life Satisfaction and Self-Esteem of Parents with Behaviorally Disordered Children: The Effect of Parental Motives
Author(s): Amy L. Duncan Allen, Carol Patrick
Abstract: The current study examined the relation of six Reiss (2000) motives (Independence, Acceptance, Order, Social Contact, Family, and Tranquility), and reported life satisfaction and self-esteem in parents with and without children diagnosed with behavioral disorders (N=117). Previous research has established that parents and children in a family with a behaviorally disordered child report less life satisfaction than families with non-diagnosed children. Life satisfaction has been linked to self-esteem in previous literature. To date, research has not examined the relation among these two variables and internal motives in parents of behaviorally disordered children. The current study found that parents with an ODD/CD child and a high need for four of the six motives showed significantly lower self-esteem than all other parents tested. ODD/CD parents with high levels of need for five of the six motives were found to have significantly lower life satisfaction. Implications for assisting parents with behaviorally disordered children are discussed.
Pages: 121-131
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