Mental Disorder and the Perception of Family Characteristics: An Assessment of the Relationships in Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

To assess whether the presence or absence of symptoms of mental disorder in childhood and adolescence is associated with perception of the family of origin in early adulthood, 168 undergraduates completed a questionnaire containing a checklist of symptoms of mental disorder and two family assessment instruments. Respondents who had never experienced symptoms of mental disorder rated their families of origin as more cohesive and reported less confusion of kinship relations. No significant differences were found between the two groups on the perceived adaptability of the family.