Journal of Psychosociological Research in Family and Culture

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between family conflict and adolescent self-injury, with a focus on the mediating role of alexithymia.

Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational design was employed using a sample of 396 South African secondary school students selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sampling table. Standardized instruments were used to assess family conflict, alexithymia, and self-injurious behavior. Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for Pearson correlation and AMOS-21 for structural equation modeling (SEM). Assumptions for normality, linearity, and multicollinearity were confirmed prior to analysis. The structural model tested both direct and indirect effects to evaluate the mediating function of alexithymia in the relationship between family conflict and self-injury.

Findings: Pearson correlations showed significant positive relationships among all variables: family conflict and alexithymia (r = .42, p < .01), family conflict and self-injury (r = .34, p < .01), and alexithymia and self-injury (r = .49, p < .01). The structural model demonstrated excellent fit indices (χ²/df = 2.43, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.059). Path analysis revealed significant direct effects of family conflict on alexithymia (B = 0.43, β = .42, p < .001), alexithymia on self-injury (B = 0.38, β = .46, p < .001), and family conflict on self-injury (B = 0.19, β = .24, p = .004). The indirect effect of family conflict on self-injury through alexithymia was also significant (B = 0.16, β = .19, p < .001), confirming partial mediation.

Conclusion: Findings underscore alexithymia as a critical emotional mechanism linking family conflict to self-injurious behavior in adolescents. Interventions targeting emotional awareness and family communication may help mitigate the risks associated with adolescent self-harm, especially in culturally diverse contexts.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cultural orientation and marital quality among Canadian married individuals, with a specific focus on the mediating role of gender role attitudes.

Methods and Materials: The study employed a descriptive correlational design involving 385 married participants residing in Canada, selected using stratified random sampling based on Krejcie and Morgan's sample size guidelines. Standardized instruments were used to assess marital quality (Dyadic Adjustment Scale), cultural orientation (Cultural Orientation Scale), and gender role attitudes (Gender Role Beliefs Scale). Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for descriptive and correlational statistics, and AMOS-21 was used to perform structural equation modeling (SEM). Model fit was evaluated using χ²/df, GFI, AGFI, CFI, TLI, and RMSEA indices. Mediation analysis included both direct and indirect path coefficients.

Findings: Pearson correlation analysis showed that marital quality was significantly related to both cultural orientation (r = .42, p < .001) and gender role attitudes (r = .48, p < .001), with a significant correlation between cultural orientation and gender role attitudes as well (r = .45, p < .001). The SEM results indicated that the model had good fit (χ²/df = 2.11, GFI = 0.94, CFI = 0.96, RMSEA = 0.053). Cultural orientation significantly predicted marital quality directly (β = 0.28, p < .001) and indirectly through gender role attitudes (β = 0.22, p < .001), confirming a partial mediating effect. Gender role attitudes also had a strong direct effect on marital quality (β = 0.49, p < .001).

Conclusion: The findings underscore the critical role of cultural orientation and internalized gender role attitudes in shaping marital quality. Gender role attitudes serve as a psychological pathway through which cultural values influence relational satisfaction, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches in marital counseling and intervention.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of emotional awareness in the relationship between family expressiveness and adolescent empathy.

Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational research design was used, involving 400 Mexican adolescents selected based on the Morgan and Krejcie sampling table. Data were collected using three standardized self-report instruments: the Family Expressiveness Questionnaire (FEQ), the Emotional Awareness Questionnaire (EAQ), and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) for empathy. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted using SPSS-27 to explore bivariate associations, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed using AMOS-21 to assess direct, indirect, and total effects among the variables and test the hypothesized mediation model.

Findings: The results showed significant positive correlations between family expressiveness and emotional awareness (r = .46, p < .001), family expressiveness and adolescent empathy (r = .38, p < .001), and emotional awareness and adolescent empathy (r = .53, p < .001). The structural model demonstrated a good fit to the data (χ²/df = 1.66, RMSEA = 0.041, CFI = 0.99). Direct effects from family expressiveness to emotional awareness (B = 0.51, β = 0.46, p < .001), from family expressiveness to empathy (B = 0.24, β = 0.28, p < .001), and from emotional awareness to empathy (B = 0.44, β = 0.39, p < .001) were statistically significant. The indirect effect of family expressiveness on empathy via emotional awareness was also significant (B = 0.22, β = 0.18, p < .001), supporting partial mediation.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that emotionally expressive family environments foster adolescents' empathy partly by enhancing their emotional awareness. Emotional awareness serves as a key developmental mechanism through which family dynamics shape prosocial emotional outcomes in adolescence.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between perceived parental overprotection and autonomy in Malaysian young adults.

Methods and Materials: A descriptive correlational research design was employed involving a sample of 423 university students in Malaysia, selected based on Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table. Participants completed standardized measures including the Parental Bonding Instrument (Overprotection subscale), General Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Autonomous Functioning Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS-27 for descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations, and AMOS-21 for structural equation modeling (SEM). Assumptions such as normality, multicollinearity, and linearity were checked and confirmed before inferential analysis.

Findings: The results indicated a significant negative correlation between parental overprotection and autonomy (r = –.47, p < .001), and between parental overprotection and self-efficacy (r = –.41, p < .001). Self-efficacy was positively correlated with autonomy (r = .53, p < .001). SEM results showed that parental overprotection significantly predicted lower self-efficacy (β = –0.41, p < .001) and autonomy both directly (β = –0.28, p < .001) and indirectly via self-efficacy (β = –0.22, p < .001). The total effect of parental overprotection on autonomy was substantial (β = –0.50, p < .001). Model fit indices supported the adequacy of the hypothesized model (χ²/df = 1.74; CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.041).

Conclusion: These findings suggest that parental overprotection has a significant negative impact on young adults’ autonomy, both directly and through its detrimental effect on self-efficacy. Promoting self-efficacy may help mitigate the negative developmental consequences of overprotective parenting, especially in collectivist cultures where parental control is often normative.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the mechanisms through which family support contributes to the psychological adjustment of postpartum women.

Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured interviews with 23 postpartum women residing in Bangladesh. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling and represented a range of ages, educational backgrounds, and parity statuses. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s six-step framework. NVivo 14 software facilitated systematic coding and theme development. Ethical approval was obtained, and all participants gave informed consent.

Findings: Three main themes emerged: (1) Emotional Support from Family (including subthemes such as active emotional presence, verbal encouragement, and emotional understanding from the spouse), (2) Practical and Instrumental Support (including help with infant care, household tasks, and medical visits), and (3) Relational and Social Buffering (including protection from criticism, mediation of social relations, and promotion of couple intimacy). Across all themes, the perceived quality and timing of support were central to their psychological impact. Participants who experienced emotionally attuned, respectful, and reliable support reported greater psychological stability, reduced distress, and enhanced postpartum coping.

Conclusion: The findings underscore that family support in the postpartum period is not solely about the presence of assistance but is critically shaped by its relational quality, emotional sensitivity, and alignment with maternal needs. Emotional reassurance, practical help, and protection from social stressors—when delivered with empathy and respect—can significantly buffer against psychological distress and promote adjustment. These insights suggest a need for culturally sensitive, family-inclusive mental health interventions tailored to postpartum women.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of communication breakdowns in marital relationships affected by emotional neglect.

Methods and Materials: A qualitative research design was employed using semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 21 adult participants (12 women and 9 men) residing in Iranian. Participants were purposively selected based on self-reported experiences of emotional neglect in current or past marriages of at least five years. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using NVivo 14 software. Thematic analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s six-step framework to identify recurring patterns related to emotional neglect and communication dynamics.

Findings: Four major themes emerged from the data: emotional unavailability, ineffective communication patterns, psychosocial impact of neglect, and barriers to reconnection. Participants consistently reported emotional detachment, disengaged listening, and suppression of emotional expression as core aspects of emotional neglect. Communication breakdowns included verbal withdrawal, misinterpretation of intent, and conflict escalation. Emotional neglect was linked to psychological consequences such as self-blame, isolation, diminished self-esteem, and hopelessness about the relationship. Fear of vulnerability, lack of emotional skills, and cultural norms emerged as key barriers to emotional repair. The results highlight emotional neglect as a relational process that undermines emotional safety and communicative trust.

Conclusion: Emotional neglect in marriage is a pervasive and underrecognized dynamic that contributes significantly to communication breakdowns and psychological distress. This study underscores the importance of identifying emotional neglect in therapeutic settings and developing interventions that focus on emotional literacy, attunement, and trust-building.

This article explores the complexities of adoptive parenthood through a theoretical lens, examining the social, emotional, and identity-shaping processes that distinguish it from biological parenthood. Grounded in psychological and sociological research, the study highlights the unique challenges faced by adoptive families, including bureaucratic hurdles, social judgment, and integration issues, while emphasizing the role of pre- and post-adoption support in fostering positive outcomes. The analysis reveals how adoptive parenthood is constructed through legal, cultural, and interpersonal dynamics, with particular attention to the selective preferences documented in Brazil’s National Adoption Registry (CNA), which reflect underlying racial and age-based biases. The article also addresses the historical evolution of motherhood and fatherhood, contextualizing adoptive roles within broader gender and family structures. By comparing adoptive and biological parenthood, the study underscores the significance of affective bonds, legal frameworks, and societal perceptions in shaping family identity. Key findings suggest that adoptive parenthood, while distinct, involves similar processes of identity formation and relational adjustment, challenging traditional notions of kinship. The article concludes with recommendations for tailored interventions and policies to better support adoptive families.