Does Nonresidential Fathers’ Problem Drinking and Hostile Parenting Predict Adolescent Delinquency?

• In Event: Poster Session 1

Abstract

Information regarding the unique impact of nonresidential fathers on youth delinquency is scant. The current study investigates whether nonresidential fathers’ binge drinking, psychological aggression, physical assault and parenting stress during childhood (age 9) predicts adolescents’ delinquency at age 15, and whether delinquency at age 9 mediates these associations. Data were from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS). Study participants included 1,744 nonresidential fathers (Mage=35.38,SD=6.45) and their children (845 males,899 females; Mage=9.32,SD=.38 at T1 of our analyses, Mage=15.62,SD=.78 at T2). The SEM function in Stata v.17 was used to test the mediation model. Results indicate paternal psychological aggression at age 9 (b=.08,p<.01) and physical assault also at age 9 (b=.14,p<.01) predicted adolescents’ delinquency at age 15; these relations were indirect such that they were mediated by youth delinquency at age 9. Results suggest that nonresidential fathers, and specifically youth-father relationship characteristics, are important for understanding the development of adolescent delinquency. Current findings highlight links between relationship characteristics and youth outcomes. Implications and suggestions for future research will be discussed in the poster; visual models will be presented.

Authors

• Megha Garg, University of Delaware

• Sara Goldstein, University of Delaware