Explaining Sense of Responsibility with Family Competence: Mediation by Family Conflict and Moderation by Gender

This study investigated the role of family competence, with mediation by family conflict and moderation by gender, in determining sense of responsibility in young adults. The sample (N = 606) consisted of university students (men = 140, women = 433) with age ranging from 19-25 years (M = 20.70, SD = 1.90). Self- Report Family Inventory II (Beavers & Hampson, 2000) and Personal Responsibility Scale (Mergler, 2016) were used and results indicated a significantly negative relationship between family competence and sense of responsibility, contrary to our hypothesis. However, it was observed that conflict mediates between the effects of family competence on sense of responsibility, and that females score higher on sense of responsibility, both in line with the study’s hypotheses. Gender as a moderator for the effect of family conflict on sense of responsibility presented a significant relationship. Furthermore, the interaction between conflict and gender was significant. The regression model showed a significant direct conditional effect at low levels between competence and sense of responsibility, as well as a significant indirect effect at low and medium levels between competence and sense of responsibility, while a mediated effect at high level can also be observed. Findings can be used for parental awareness regarding the psychological needs of our target demographic.