TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychosocial and familial functioning of children from polygynous and monogamous families
AU - Al-Krenawi, Alean
AU - Slonim-Nevo, Vered
PY - 2008/12/1
Y1 - 2008/12/1
N2 - A sample of 352 Bedouin Arab children-174 from monogamous and 178 from polygynous families-participated in this study. The authors used self-reported standardized measures to assess the participants' level of self-esteem, mental health, social functioning, father-child relationships, mother-child relationships, and family functioning. The findings revealed that children from polygynous families reported more mental health and social difficulties as well as poorer school achievement and poorer relationships with their fathers than did their counterparts from monogamous families. In addition, the children from polygynous families rated their families' functioning and economic status as poorer than did those of monogamous families. Thus, the authors suggest that a polygynous family structure negatively affects the family's socioeconomic status and interpersonal relationships and impairs the children's psychological and social functioning. The authors discuss implications for practice and policy.
AB - A sample of 352 Bedouin Arab children-174 from monogamous and 178 from polygynous families-participated in this study. The authors used self-reported standardized measures to assess the participants' level of self-esteem, mental health, social functioning, father-child relationships, mother-child relationships, and family functioning. The findings revealed that children from polygynous families reported more mental health and social difficulties as well as poorer school achievement and poorer relationships with their fathers than did their counterparts from monogamous families. In addition, the children from polygynous families rated their families' functioning and economic status as poorer than did those of monogamous families. Thus, the authors suggest that a polygynous family structure negatively affects the family's socioeconomic status and interpersonal relationships and impairs the children's psychological and social functioning. The authors discuss implications for practice and policy.
KW - Bedouin
KW - Children
KW - Mental health
KW - Monogamy
KW - Polygyny
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=58149390645&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3200/SOCP.148.6.745-764
DO - 10.3200/SOCP.148.6.745-764
M3 - Article
C2 - 19058661
AN - SCOPUS:58149390645
SN - 0022-4545
VL - 148
SP - 745
EP - 764
JO - Journal of Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Social Psychology
IS - 6
ER -