Using family stress model in predicting the risk for abuse of adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of family economic hardship, economic pressure, stress experience and family functioning in predicting the risk for abuse among mothers of Croatian adolescents under the Family Stress Model. The sample included 722 mothers of first-grade high school students from central Croatia. The results showed that lower education and parents' unemployment, higher levels of stress and family conflict and lower levels of family intimacy predicted higher risk for child abuse. Family intimacy and conflicts showed partial mediation effect on the relationship between economic hardship, economic pressure, and experience of stress with risk for abuse. The development of effective programs for the parents who are at risk for child abuse, together with interventions for reducing economic hardship is an important direction for lowering risk for child abuse.