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Behavioral Problems in Adolescents Raised by Their Grandparents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Isabel Mª Bernedo ,
María Jesús Fuentes  and
Milagros Fernández
Isabel Mª Bernedo*
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
María Jesús Fuentes
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
Milagros Fernández
Affiliation:
Universidad de Málaga (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Isabel Mª Bernedo Muñoz, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Teatinos, 29071-Málaga, España. E-mail: bernedo@uma.es
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Abstract

This research analyzes, for the first time using a Spanish sample, the behavioral problems of adolescents in the custody of their grandparents. The sample consisted of 68 adolescents (31 boys and 37 girls, with a mean age of 13.7 years) in the custody of 54 grandparents with an average age of 65.9 years for the grandfathers, and 63.6 years for the grandmothers. The instrument employed was the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL;; Achenbach, 2001). The results indicate that the majority of both boys and girls can be classified within the normal range on scales of internal behavior, external behavior and total behavioral problems. When gender and age differences were analyzed, it was found that boys had more behavioral problems than girls on scales of incompliance with rules and external behavior. Meanwhile, it was shown that older adolescents had more somatic problems, as well as more behavioral problems, as measured by both the internal scale and total scale of the CBCL, than the younger participants.

Este trabajo recoge, por primera vez en población española, la incidencia de los problemas de conducta presentados por los adolescentes acogidos por sus abuelos. Este estudio analiza a 68 adolescentes (31 chicos y 37 chicas, con una media de edad de 13,7 años) acogidos por 54 abuelos/as, con una media de edad de 65,9 años para los abuelos y de 63,6 años para las abuelas. El instrumento utilizado fue el Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL, Achenbach, 2001). Los resultados indican que tanto la mayoría de los chicos como de las chicas se encuentran en el rango de normalidad en las escalas de internalización, externalización y total en problemas de conducta. Al analizar las diferencias de sexo y edad, se encontró que los chicos presentan más problemas de conducta en incumplimiento de normas y en la escala de externalización, que las chicas, y que los adolescentes mayores presentan más problemas somáticos, y más problemas de conducta en la escala de internalización y en el total del CBCL, que los menores.

Keywords

behavioral problemsgrandparentsadolescent grandchildrenfamily custodyProblemas de conductaabuelosnietos adolescentesacogimiento familiar.
Type
Articles
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , November 2008 , pp. 453 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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