Perceptions of family influences, self-esteem and psychoticism: A two-year longitudinal analysis

It is widely accepted that family influences are closely linked to emotional adjustment in the adolescent years. This study assessed the extent to which perceptions of family functioning at Time 1 predict self-esteem and psychoticism at Time 2. Respondents were 282 14-year-olds, traced for follow-up two years later. The follow-up success rate was more than 80%. The results of structural equation modelling suggested that perceptions of positive and negative family communication were not significantly linked to self-esteem and psychoticism at Time 2, although they were indirectly linked through the Time 1 measures. The results are discussed in the context of other findings questioning the role of environmental influences on the emotional adjustment of older children.