Problem:
In summary, this study attempted to address a shortcoming in the current literature regarding the family environments of youth with CD or depression. While researchers have associated a number of family environmental factors that are related to various psychopathology in youth, these variables often overlap. Because of this, there is very little research that explains which specific family environment variables are characteristic of a particular disorder. While the results from this study add to a growing body of literature on the effects of the family environment on children's functioning, there are a number of limitations to consider. First, information regarding the family environment was gathered from the youth, and not their parents. While recent research (Cohen & Rice, 1997) has found that youth's perceptions of parenting styles were most strongly related to child outcomes (e.g., child's grades, substance abuse, etc.), information from the parents regarding their perceptions of the family environment may have added a different perspective on these family environments. Secondly, one of the subscales (Laissez-Faire Family Style) that was used to discriminate between the two groups has been found to have internal consistency estimates ranging from poor (Stark et al., 1990) to acceptable (Jewell, 2001), which may have impacted the results of the study to an unknown extent. A final limitation of this research is its reliance on self-report information in assessing the family. Need Assignment Help?