Prediction of Internalizing and Externalizing Symptoms in Adolescents from Perception of Family's Process and Content

the aim of the current study was to predict internalizing and externalizing symptoms from the content and process of family among adolescence. Two hundred and ninety five students (148 females, 147 males) were selected from schools in districts 6 and 10 of Tehran by the cluster sampling method. The participants completed the Youth Self-report (YSR; Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001), the Family Content Scale (SFCS; Samani, 2008) and the Family Process Scale (SFPS; Samani, 2008). The results of the Pearson correlation coefficient indicated that family content and family process significantly related to internalizing and externalizing symptoms. The results of stepwise regression analysis indicated that the content and process of family subscales accounted for 22% and 14% variances of the internalizing symptoms and the externalizing symptoms, respectively. The findings suggested that any deficiency in family psychological conditions such as family functions and families capacities could have detrimental effects on behavior and mental health of children. It is argued that as adolescence is a special period these deficiencies may facilitate developing of behavioral problem