Research Symposium

BIO

Alexa is a dedicated Junior at FSU, concurrently pursuing double majors in Psychology and Criminology. Currently, she serves as a research assistant for a PhD candidate, focusing on the intersection of parental mental health and children mental illness. The work specifically examines how parental aggravation acts as a mediating factor in these psychological outcomes. Following their undergraduate studies, Alexa plans to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology. Her long-term objective is to complete a post-doctoral year in forensic psychology to become a Forensic Psychologist, bridging the gap between clinical assessment and the justice system.

Parental Mental Health Status and Children Mental Health: The Mediating Role of Parental Aggravation.

Abstract

According to the Federal Data Systems data, pediatric mental illnesses start to develop during early childhood with anxiety and depression being the most common conditions (Bitsko et al.
2022). The family systems theory proposed by Bowen in 1978 emphasizes the strong interdependence within a household, meaning a change in one individual inevitably causes shifts in others. A parent's mental state can directly or indirectly influence their child's mental health. While studies have linked parental
aggravation, a distinct facet of parenting stress, to adverse outcomes in children (Suh & Luther, 2020), it remains unclear if this specific stressor acts as the conduit between a parent's overall well-being and a child's diagnosis.

Keywords: Mental health, Children, Mental illness