International Journal of Basic Sciences & Applied Research. Vol.

, 3 (12), 888-891, 2014

Available online at http://www.isicenter.org
ISSN 2147-3749 2014

A Comparison of Attribution Style, Perceived Stress and Difficulties in Emotion

Regulation between Single-parent and Two-parent Adolescents
Maliheh Rasouli Khorshidi, Bahram Mirzaian*, Ramezan Hassanzadeh
Department of Psychology, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
*Corresponding

Author Email: Bahrammirzaian@gmail.com

Abstract

Single-parent families usually suffer more social, emotional and economic pressures. Single parent children may also experience greater stress and more difficulties in regulating their
emotions. This study aimed to compare attribution styles, perceived stress and difficulties in
emotion regulation between single-parent and two-parent adolescents. In this regard, from
among 1500 adolescent students, a number of 160 students (80 single-parent and 80 twoparent adolescents) were selected as the participants. The single-parent students were
selected non-randomly (purposive sampling) while two-parent students were chosen
randomly. The participants were examined using Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ),
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS). The results
showed that single-parent adolescents experienced greater perceived stress and difficulty in
emotion regulation comparing with two-parent children. Besides, the attribution styles were
different between one- and two-parent adolescents.
Keywords: Single-parent adolescents, Attribution styles, Perceived stress, Emotion regulation.
Introduction
The concept of family has long been assumed as a unit comprising of a man and a woman married together legally with
children. Family is considered as the first and primary place for personality formation in children, which paves the way for their
subsequent development. Therefore, the presence of both parents in the family and their active participation seems vital for
childrens development and nurture (Shokoohi Amirabadi, 2010). Family structure has been investigated as a factor related to
adolescents well-being. Family structure can be divided into damaged (traumatized) or undamaged (untraumatized). The
undamaged families are defined as those in which the children are living with their biological parents while the damaged families are
referred to the single-parent, no-parent and newly formed (with step father or mother) families (Sepah Mansoor & Mazaheri, 2011).
Compared with adolescents in two-parent families, adolescents growing in single-parent families often suffer from various behavioral
and mental problems because of different problems at home. These families often have unspecified functions and borders. In
general, children have vague identities in these families and have problems to interact with the opposite sex.
Bahramabadi et al (2013) listed depression, stress, academic failure, aggression, low emotional regulation skills, drugs
inclination, etc. as the basic existing damages threatening single-parent children. However, similar to others, the kind of responses
they provide for factors and situations play a determining role in these children. Mental health in human is subordinated by the
interpretation of the surrounding events, which is called attribution style (Kimiaei & Gharib, 2008). In other words, as Galvin and
Cooper (2000) state, attribution refers to individuals evaluation of the reason of behavior. As a matter of fact, it is not the external
events that lead to stress but our attitude toward these events that makes us vulnerable. When the events are interpreted to be too
threatening, negative thoughts emerge (Seaward, 2013). Today, stress is a common phenomenon (Trorerji & Enright, 1991).
Perceived stress is a psychological state or process in which an individual perceives his or her physical or mental health being
threatened (Pasha, 2011).
The intensity of perceived stress, according to Masoodnia (2006), depends on the individuals belief in the seriousness of a
stress. Research has shown that attribution style is associated with the stress perceived from a situation (Steinmetz, 1990). Stressbearing events often cause the psychological problems to emerge. Such events can also provoke emotional reactions (Gelder et al.,
2006; Purafkari, 2012). Along with stress fluctuation, emotion also fluctuates (Kiani & Bahrami, 2011). Human life involves inevitable
negative emotional experiences. No doubt, there is a remarkable amount of daily potential to cause difficulty in emotional regulation.
Giromini et al (2012) postulated that emotional regulation refers to the stage which influences how individuals experience and
express their emotions. Mohammadi et al (2011) believe that difficulty in emotional regulation may arise from disability or incapacity

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in regulating emotions. Research indicates that mental and behavioral problems are observed more often in children in single-parent
families than in children in two-parent families (Baron et al., 2007). Compared with adolescents in damaged/affected families,
adolescents in undamaged families have shown more academic achievement along with less stress and aggression. They also have
a healthier lifestyle while children in damaged families display more negative emotions (Sepah Mansoor & Mazaheri, 2011).
Salehi et al. (2001) found that family factors can function as a mediator between emotional problems and emotional regulation
strategies. Moreover, research by Aminabadi et al (2010) supports the fact that parents relationship and interaction with their
children help improve emotional regulation skills in children. In the same vein, Hetherington (1999) and Short (2002) realized

that because of chronic pressure, individuals who experienced father and mother separation during childhood are more
passive when exposed to stress. Furthermore, Woodward et al (2000) discovered that individuals, whose parents were separated

during childhood, were more probably exposed to behavioral problems. Ample research validates that comparing with schools and
environment, family relationship has a stronger association with life satisfaction (Dew & Huebner, 1994). Fine et al (1992) argued
that adolescents grown in single-parent families develop a weaker relationship with their parents.
Since attribution styles, stress and emotional regulation skills are listed as the most important factors in individuals mental and
physical health, these variables are compared in single-parent and two-parent adolescents in this study. The hypotheses
investigated in this research are as follows:
1. There is a difference in attribution styles between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
2. There is a difference in the amount of perceived stress between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
3. There is a difference in difficulty in emotional regulation between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
There is a difference in perceived stress between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
Methodology
The design of the study was causal-comparative. The population comprised of 1500 students (both male and female) from
high schools and technical schools in Galoogah (a city in the north of Iran) from which 160 students (80 single-parent were selected
systematically or non-randomly, and 80 two-parent students were selected randomly) were chosen as the final participants in this
research.
Instruments
A) Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ): This questionnaire has been designed to evaluate individuals content of causal
attributions for positive and negative consequences regarding specific cause, stability, and generality. The original form of the
questionnaire was constructed by Seligman et al. (1979) containing 6 attribution situations for positive (success) results and 6
attribution situations for negative (failure) results. This questionnaire contains 10 events (5 success and 5 failure situations) where
each one is comprised of 3 questions. In the same vein, this questionnaire consists of 10 questions for measuring stability, 10
questions for generality, and 10 questions for specific cause in ten imaginary situations.
B) Perceived Stress Scale (PSS): This scale was constructed by Cohen et al (1983) containing 14 items. Each item is
answered based on a 5-point scale (none, little, average, much, very much with the marks 0,1,2,3,4,5 respectively). Cronbachs
Alpha coefficient of the scale has been measured to be 0.88. The validity of the scale has also been reported to be satisfactory.
C) Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS): This is a self-report index to evaluate existing difficulties in emotion
regulation and is more comprehensive than similar instruments. It contains 36 statements and 6 subscales including nonacceptance, goals, impulse, awareness, strategies and clarity. The respondents are asked to determine how true each statement is
about them. The items are on a 5-point Likert scale: Almost never (0-10%), Sometimes (11-35%), About half the time (36-65%),
Most of the time (66 90%) and Almost always (91-100%). Higher marks represent more difficulties in regulating emotions. The
reliability of this scale has been reported to be 0.86. The validity of the scale has also been reported to be satisfactory.
Results
The adolescent participants in this study consisted of 29 boys and 51 girls with age range of 15-18 years.
Testing the hypotheses
H1: There is a difference in attribution styles between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
Table 1. Independent t-test results of attribution style and its components.

Attribution style
Specific cause

889

internal

Levens test
Sig.

DF

Independent t-test
Sig.

765.5

000.0

32.2

871

025.0

320.8

086.0

57.0

871

057.0

Intl. J. Basic. Sci. Appl. Res. Vol., 3 (12), 888-891, 2014

Stability
Generality

external

140.0

003.0

86.8

871

000.0

stable

551.3

000.0

30.8

871

000.0

Non-stable

841.0

017.0

54.0

871

007.0

global

857.8

000.0

64.8

871

083.0

specific

03.8

000.0

808.0

871

066.0

Based on the results of attribution style and independent t-test results as illustrated in Table 1, the obtained Sig is smaller than 0.05,
which indicates that there is a significant difference between single-parent and two-parent adolescents in regard to attribution style.
H2. There is a difference in the amount of perceived stress between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
Table 2. Independent t-test results of perceived stress and its components.
Levens test
Sig.
000.0

F
820.8

Perceived stress

Independent t-test
dF
Sig.
871
000.0

t
55.4

The results in Table 2 also indicate that perceived stress is significantly different between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
H3. There is a difference in difficulty in emotional regulation between single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
Table 3. Independent t-test results of emotion regulation and its components.

emotion regulation

Levens test
Sig.
000.0

F
220.1

Independent t-test
dF
Sig.
871
000.0

t
86.3

As it is also seen in Table 3, the obtained Sig is smaller than 0.05 representing the fact that emotion regulation is significantly
different between the two groups of single-parent and two-parent adolescents. H4. There is a difference in perceived stress between
single-parent and two-parent adolescents.
Table 4. Independent t-test results of perceived stress in adolescents with different attribution styles and its components.

Perceived stress in adolescents with different

attribution styles and its components
internal
Specific cause
external
stable
Stability
Non-stable
global
Generality
specific

Levens test
Sig.

dF

Independent t-test
Sig.

085.1

000.0

13.2

871

087.0

03.8
140.0
551.3
567.0
857.8
067.8

008.0
001.0
000.0
055.0
000.0
000.0

57.0
22.8
30.8
54.0
87.8
876.0

871
871
871
871
871
871

061.0
000.0
000.0
007.0
083.0
033.0

As Table 4 illustrates, statistical analysis supports the fact that the amount of perceived stress is significantly different in adolescents
with different attribution styles.
Discussion and Conclusion
The present study was conducted to compare the attribution style, perceived stress and difficulties in emotion regulation
between single-parent and two-parent adolescents. The results showed that comparing with two-parent adolescents, attribution
styles in single-parent adolescents is different and their attribution styles are internal, stable, and global while the attribution styles in
two-parent adolescents were external, unstable, and specific. Moreover, this study also justifies that the amount of perceived stress
in single-parent adolescents is different from two-parent ones. It was further revealed that single-parent adolescents suffered more
stress, and comparing with two-parent adolescents, they showed more difficulties in regulating emotions. These findings are in line
with the findings by Hetherington (1999), Short (2002), Woodward et al (2000) who supported the role of family factors and parents
presence in childrens mental and behavioral health. This study is also in agreement with the findings in research studies focusing on
the importance of family in facilitating development toward ideal well-being.

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Similar to any studies, this study also had some limitations such as confining the data collection instruments to questionnaires.
Besides, the students had to leave their classroom in order to complete the questionnaires, which could have affected their learning.
For future studies in this realm, it is suggested that cultural variables, economic condition, social support, etc. be investigated in
order to be able to generalize the findings with more confidence.
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