Zahira Gonzalez

Bio: Zahira Gonzalez is an academic researcher from University of Deusto. The author has contributed to research in topics: Looming & Cognitive style. The author has an hindex of 2, co-authored 2 publications receiving 63 citations.

Child-to-Parent Violence in Adolescents: The Perspectives of the Parents, Children, and Professionals in a Sample of Spanish Focus Group Participants

Abstract: This study explored the characteristics of child-to-parent violence (CPV) in Spain based on the narrations of adolescents who perpetrate this kind of violence, their parents, and the professionals who work in this area A qualitative design was used Focus groups were asked about the risk factors associated with CPV, such as exposure to family violence, discipline, and psychological characteristics of the adolescents Interviews were videotaped, transcribed, and reviewed independently by each investigator to identify and group distinct comments into categories with specific themes Results suggest that CPV is mainly linked to exposure to marital conflict and family violence, permissive discipline, emotional disengagement in the father-child relationship, and symptoms of emotional stress and substance consumption in the children Lastly, acts of CPV seem to be an attempt by the children to gain power in the context of family relations in which the parents display their incapacity to establish control As several family and personal characteristics appear to be involved in CPV, it is recommended that family and individual approaches be considered for treatment

Direct and Indirect Effects of Looming Cognitive Style via Social Cognitions on Social Anxiety, Depression, and Hostility

Abstract: Based on the looming vulnerability model, we hypothesized that mental simulations of scenarios rapidly intensifying and heading in a more threatening direction, as assessed by the looming cognitive style (LCS; Riskind, Williams, Theodore, Chrosniak, & Cortina, 2000), would have effects on social anxiety. Moreover, we expected that these simulations could affect social anxiety through both a direct and an indirect route mediated by verbal social cognitions. Consistent with these hypotheses, structural equations analyses on data from Spanish university and professional students (N = 547) indicated direct and indirect links between looming cognitive style and social anxiety. In addition, similar but smaller effects of looming cognitive style were found on depression symptoms, and a small indirect effect of looming cognitive style was found to be hostility. Together, these findings are consistent with the view that dynamic simulations of patterns of dynamic changes and forward progress of threat play an impor...

Focus Group Interviews in Child, Youth, and Parent Research: An Integrative Literature Review:

Abstract: Focus groups are becoming increasingly popular in research, especially in parent and child research. Focus group interviews allow participants to tell their own stories, express their opinions, and...

The Contribution of Family Relationships to Child-to-Parent Violence

Abstract: Child-to-parent violence is a social problem that is qualitatively different from other types of family violence, since adolescents direct their violence toward those who should represent authority and provide for their welfare One of the goals of this study was to analyze the importance of the quality of family relationships and different strategies of family discipline with regard to violent or prosocial behavior of adolescents toward their parents Structural Equation Modeling was used to test a model of violent behavior towards parents Participants were 585 children aged between 12 and 18 from eight schools in the Basque Country (Spain) Positive family discipline and supervision were not associated with lower levels of violence against parents Family relationships had direct effects on child-to-parent violence, and power-assertive discipline showed a mediating effect in that association It seems that affectivity and quality of family relationships are the most important aspects for preventing violent behaviors

Características familiares asociadas a violencia filio-parental en adolescentes

Abstract: Title: Family characteristics associated with child-to-parent aggressions in adolescents. Abstract: The Child-to-Parent Aggression (CPA) is an area of growing in- terest. Previous studies suggest that a variety of family factors can act as explanatory elements of the CPA, such as exposure to violence, emotional neglect and permissive parenting style. This study examined the association of these factors with the occurrence of severe physical and psychological CPA. A total of 1698 adolescents (870 boys and 828 girls), aged between 12 and 17 years, answered CPA measures, exposure to violence, affection and communication, parental abandonment and permissive parenting style. Results of logistic regression analysis showed that low levels of affection and communication were associated with all forms of severe CPA. Wit- nessing family violence was associated with the physical VFP against fa- thers whereas direct victimization in family was associated with physical CPA against mothers, and psychological CPA against both parents. The permissive style was associated with the severe psychological CPA but not with the physical CPA.