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Does Problem Behavior Elicit Poor Parenting?: A Prospective Study of Adolescent Girls
David Huh1, Jennifer Tristan, Emily Wade
1University of Texas at Austin.
Journal of Adolescent Research
|March 11, 2006
Summary
Adolescent girls' problem behaviors, such as externalizing symptoms and substance abuse, negatively impact perceived parental support and control. Parenting deficits were less predictive of future adolescent problem behaviors in this longitudinal study.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Adolescent Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parenting styles and adolescent behavior are complexly intertwined.
- Reciprocal relationships between parenting and adolescent problem behaviors require further longitudinal investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the reciprocal longitudinal associations between perceived parenting (support and control) and adolescent problem behaviors (externalizing symptoms and substance abuse) in a sample of adolescent girls.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design.
- Data collected from 496 adolescent girls.
- Statistical analysis of perceived parenting and problem behavior over time.
Main Results:
- Adolescent girls' externalizing symptoms and substance abuse predicted subsequent decreases in perceived parental support and control.
- Low parental control predicted future increases in substance abuse, but not externalizing symptoms.
- Low parental support did not predict future increases in externalizing symptoms or substance abuse.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent girls' problem behaviors appear to be a more consistent predictor of changes in perceived parenting than vice versa.
- Findings highlight the significant impact of adolescent behavior on the parent-child relationship dynamics during middle adolescence.
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