Poster #28 - Lability in Parents' Warmth and Hostility Are Associated With Youth Internalizing Problems

• In Event: 3-022 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: 11 - Family Processes

Abstract/Description

Background: Early adolescence is a sensitive period for the development of youth internalizing problems. Poor parent-child relationships have been linked to more youth internalizing problems, but few studies examine how longitudinal changes in parent-child relationships are associated with changes in youth internalizing problems. Beyond linear characterizations of change, there may be “ups and downs” in parental warmth and hostility, characterized by within-person fluctuations – lability. Recent studies suggest that higher lability (more fluctuation) in parenting is associated with higher levels of youth risky behavior, especially for girls. Yet, little is known about how parental warmth and hostility fluctuate within families during this time period and whether lability is linked to youth internalizing problems. In this longitudinal study, we investigated how developmental trends (linear declines) and lability (within-person fluctuations) in mother and father warmth and hostility across Grade 6-8 are associated with youth internalizing problems in Grade 9. We also tested whether the links between lability in parental warmth and hostility and internalizing problems differ for boys and girls.

Methods: Longitudinal data were obtained from 618 mothers, youth, and fathers in two-parent rural families who participated in at least three waves of data collection in the PROSPER project (84% White). This study used five waves of data that span early adolescence (Fall/Spring Grade 6, Spring Grade 7-9). First, we used growth models to derive each person’s scores for three components of change in warmth/ hostility: initial level, developmental trend (rate of change), and lability (intraindividual standard deviation) across grades 6-8. Second, we used Poisson regression models to examine how lability and developmental trends were related to youth internalizing problems in Grade 9. We tested for linear and quadratic effects of lability on youth outcomes. Third, we tested if youth gender moderated these associations. Control variables included levels of parental warmth/hostility, demographics (dual biological marital status, intervention condition, parent education) and Grade 6 (Wave 1) measures of internalizing problems. Separate models were run for youth reports of mother and father warmth and hostility.

Results: Greater lability (more fluctuations) in father hostility and warmth were associated with more youth internalizing problem and these associations were not moderated by youth gender (Table 1). Greater lability in mother warmth was associated with more internalizing problems for girls, but not boys. The links between lability in parents’ warmth and youth internalizing problem were quadratic; the strongest effects were found for youth with the highest lability scores (Fig 1). Developmental trends (greater increases in parental warmth and decreases in hostility) were associated with more youth internalizing problems.

Discussion: Lability in parental warmth and hostility are an important, but relatively understudied risk factor for youth internalizing problems. This study underscores the importance of differentiating developmental trends from lability in parents’ warmth and hostility, both of which may be important for youth internalizing problems. The discussion will focus on mechanisms that may link lability to youth outcomes, and reasons for observed youth and parent gender differences.

Authors

• Melissa A Lippold, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  Presenting Author

• Andrea Hussong, University of North Carolina

• Gregory Fosco, Penn State University

• Nilam Ram, The Pennsylvania State University