REGULAR ARTICLE Family correlates of adolescents’ emotional/behavioural problems: evidence from a Greek school-based sample G Giannakopoulos, C Mihas, C Dimitrakaki, Y Tountas (chsr.med.uoa@gmail.com) Center for Health Services Research, Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, University of Athens, Greece Keywords Adolescents, Emotional ⁄ behavioural problems, Family, Parents Correspondence Y Tountas, Center for Health Services Research, Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, University of Athens, 25 Alexandroupoleos st, 115 27, Athens, Greece. Tel: +30-210-7482015 | Fax: +30-210-7487564 | Email: chsr.med.uoa@gmail.com Received 16 January 2009; accepted 20 March 2009. DOI:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2009.01314.x Abstract Aim: To investigate the associations of some family characteristics with adolescents’ self-reported emo- tional ⁄ behavioural problems. Methods: Questionnaires were administered to a Greek nation-wide random sample of adoles- cents (N ¼ 1194) aged 11–18 years and their parents (N ¼ 973) in 2003. The present analysis included the questionnaires completed by mothers and their offspring (639 families). Adoles- cents’ emotional ⁄ behavioural problems, as measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Question- naire, were assessed in relation to family socioeconomic status and residence type, parental marital status, educational attainment and subjective mental health, family cohesion and parent–child relations. Results: The analysis showed that parental marital status other than being married, poor parent– child relations and low levels of maternal subjective mental health were independently correlated with significantly more adolescents’ emotional ⁄ behavioural problems. Conclusion: Family factors are potential determinants of adolescent emotional ⁄ behavioural problems and therefore are potential targets for prevention and ⁄ or intervention. INTRODUCTION A crucial step for the early identification, prevention and treatment of adolescents’ psychiatric disorders involves the investigation of determinants of adolescents’ emotional ⁄ behavioural problems (EBP) (1). The term ‘EBP’ refers to adolescents’ symptom levels on different maladjustment domains (such as depressive, conduct, attention, peer prob- lems), as measured by screening instruments that capture a wide range of functioning and are very well normed. Apart from individual characteristics, such as gender, age, genetic predisposition, temperament and general health, a number of family attributes have been found to be correlated with children’s EBP throughout adolescence (2,3). Family socio- economic status (SES) and residence type, parental education and marital status, parent–child relations as well as parental health status are among the widely studied factors in previ- ous research (4,5). Low family SES, urban environment and poor parental education attainment have been generally associated with increased prevalence of all types of adolescents’ EBP in a number of studies across different cultural contexts (6–8), although some studies could not confirm any significant cor- relation (9,10). Some evidence suggests that adolescents who live with single parents have higher levels of emotional distress and problem behaviours than do children who live with two married parents (11,12). Moreover, adolescents who grow in families with high levels of parenting quality and good parent–child relations (even when controlling for marital conflict) show fewer EBP (6,11). Somatic illness in a parent also seems to be a signifi- cant risk factor for EBP in adolescents (13,14), although not all research supports this association (15). Addition- ally, evidence is available regarding the association between parental (especially maternal) mental health problems and adolescents’ poor adjustment and EBP (2,16,17). It has been reported that the quality of interpersonal relations within the family and, particularly, family cohesion and parent–child relations mediate mostly this association (2,17). In Greece there is extremely limited literature on fam- ily determinants of children’s and adolescents’ EBP. To our knowledge, one Greek study (18) has examined, among other social determinants, the association of parental marital status and involvement (awareness of peer group, awareness of leisure activities and interest in school performance) with self-reported adolescents’ EBP, finding that lack of parental monitoring was independently associated with more EBP. The aim of the present study was to investigate the as- sociations of some family characteristics with adolescents’ self-reported EBP in a Greek school-based sample. The gen- der and age of adolescents were also included in the present examination since the effects of both characteristics on ado- lescents’ EBP have been consistently found to be substantial, with older versus younger adolescents and girls versus boys reporting significantly more problems, although gender ef- fects are rather inconsistently reported (16,17). Acta Pædiatrica ISSN 0803–5253 ª2009 The Author(s)/Journal Compilation ª2009 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica/Acta Pædiatrica 2009 98, pp. 1319–1323 1319