Becoming a mother during adolescence: The impact of self-differentiation processes on adolescent mothers’ adaptation to the parental role

Journal title TERAPIA FAMILIARE
Author/s Monica Tosto, Alessandra Salerno, Iolanda Raciti, Aluette Merenda
Publishing Year 2025 Issue 2025/138
Language Italian Pages 22 P. 71-92 File size 200 KB
DOI 10.3280/TF2025-138006
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This study aims to analyze the connection between the maternal Selfdifferentiation in first-time mothers (aged between 15 and 20 years old) and Parenting Stress levels, including some moderating variables such as: the dyadic adjustment, maternal self-esteem and the perceived social support. The analyzes highlighted the following significant results: 1) emotional cutoff and fusion with others are predictors of the parenting stress (respectively, X3: β = -.38 with ρ < .05; X4: β = .36, with ρ = .05); emotional cutoff has also been found to be a significant predictor of parent–child dysfunctional interaction (β = -.42 with ρ < .05), while Fusion with others predicts difficult child (β = .39, with ρ < .05); a predictive effect of the positive self-worth sub-dimension on difficult child has been found (β = -.37; ρ < .05); a predictive effects of dyadic cohesion on difficult child (β = -.40; ρ < .05). The results are discussed within a socio-cultural perspective, and considering their implications on early motherhood, especially in Italy.

Keywords: adolescent motherhood; parenting stress; Self-differentiation; adolescent families; dyadic adjustment; parenting.

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Monica Tosto, Alessandra Salerno, Iolanda Raciti, Aluette Merenda, Diventare madre mentre si cresce. Influenza dei processi di differenziazione del Sé sull’adattamento al ruolo genitoriale delle madri adolescenti in "TERAPIA FAMILIARE" 138/2025, pp 71-92, DOI: 10.3280/TF2025-138006