Effects of the Family Bereavement Program on academic outcomes, educational expectations and job aspirations 6 years later: The mediating role of parenting and youth mental health problems
Open accessAbstract
Experiencing the death of a parent during childhood is associated with a variety of difficulties, including lower academic achievement, that have implications for functioning in childhood and adulthood. This study examines effects of the Family Bereavement Program (FBP), a preventive intervention for parentally-bereaved youth and their caregivers, on grade point averages (GPA), educational expectations and job aspirations of youths 6 years after the intervention. A total of 244 bereaved youths ages 8-16 and their caregivers were randomized to either the FBP or a comparison group that received books about bereavement. Assessments occurred at pretest, post-test, and 11-month and 6-year follow-ups. Direct program effects on educational outcomes and job aspirations 6 years later were non-significant, although the program improved educational expectations for children with fewer behavior problems at program entry, and GPA for younger children. Mediational pathways for program effects on educational outcomes were also tested. Program-induced improvements in effective parenting at 11-month follow-up were associated with higher GPAs at 6-year follow-up for youth who were younger or for whom more time had passed since the loss. Program-induced improvements in parenting and teacher-rated youth mental health problems at the 6-year follow-up mediated program effects on youths' educational expectations for those with fewer behavior problems at program entry. The implications of these findings for understanding processes related to academic and educational outcomes following the death of a parent and for prevention efforts to help bereaved and other high-risk children succeed in school are discussed.
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The Family Bereavement Program increased youth self-esteem, grades for younger children, and educational aspirations for children with fewer baseline behavior problems, and reduced continuing distressing grief (d = .41).
“The program also led to higher youth self-esteem, grades (for younger children), and educational aspirations (for children with fewer behavior problems at baseline; 20), and to less continuing distressing grief (d = .41; 28).”
From Long-term effects of parenting-focused preventive interventions to promote resilience of children and adolescents (2015) · cites this paper as [20]
Parents' practice at home of program skills mediated the programs' effects on strengthening parenting.
“Supporting the programs’ emphasis on practicing skills, parents’ practice at home of program skills with their children mediated program effects to strengthen parenting (20).”
From Long-term effects of parenting-focused preventive interventions to promote resilience of children and adolescents (2015) · cites this paper as [20]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Schoenfelder, E. N., Tein, J.-Y., Wolchik, S., & Sandler, I. N.
- Affiliations
- Seattle Children's Hospital (US)
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Schoenfelder, Erin N.
- Venue
- Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Published
- 2014-07-23
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 229-241
- ISSN
- 0091-0627 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2835
- PMC
- PMC4305003
- OpenAlex
- W2088173258
- Cited by
- 21
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 1.97
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Arizona State University
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH049155, R01MH49155)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Family Support in Illness
- Keywords
- parental bereavement, parental death, academic performance, grade point average, educational expectations, career aspirations, parenting, behavioral problems, preventive interventions, mediation, caregiver support
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Mental Disorders, Bereavement, Career Choice, Child, Educational Status, Family Health, Female, Humans, Male, Psychotherapy, Group, Self Concept, Social Support, Parenting, Caregivers, Anticipation, Psychological
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