Parents, Identities, and Trajectories of Antisocial Behavior from Adolescence to Young Adulthood

• In Event: 123 - Section on Social Psychology Refereed Roundtable Session (co-sponsored with Section on Sociology of Emotions and Section on Sociology of Mental Health).
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 08. Identity/Identity Work

Abstract

Assessments of young adult well-being often ignore the continual importance of parents. We examine whether and how parental influence reaches beyond the adolescent years. Specifically, we consider the direct and indirect ways that traditional parenting practices, as well as parental histories of problematic behavior influence trajectories of offspring antisocial behavior. Drawing on longitudinal data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS) (N = 1,242) and multilevel modeling, we find parenting has substantial influence on young adult antisocial behavior. Parental antisocial experiences are directly tied to young adult outcomes and operate through identities (partier and troublemaker). Traditional parenting factors such as parental support and harsh parenting influenced trajectories of antisocial behavior. We include key young adult indicators and find parental influence persists net of young adult gainful activity (school, employment), parenthood, and romantic involvement.

Authors

• Wendi Leigh Johnson, Oakland University

• Peggy C. Giordano, Bowling Green State University

• Monica A. Longmore, Bowling Green State Univ