Parenting, neighborhoods, and peer characteristics as predictors of adolescent adjustment: Longitudinal analyses of additive effects

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Topic - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

A number of investigations have found families, neighborhoods, and peer relationships to serve as critical contexts for socialization during adolescence (Criss et al., 2009; Ingoldsby et al., 2006). For example, high levels of positive parenting and low levels of neighborhood risk and peer antisocial behavior have been linked to more adaptive adolescent outcomes (e.g., low antisocial behavior; Criss et al., 2017; Mounts & Steinberg, 1995; Pettit et al., 2001). While these studies have contributed to our understanding of adolescent socialization, less is understood whether these contexts serve as unique predictors of adolescent adjustment when examined simultaneously especially among low-income families (i.e., additive effects). The purpose of the current longitudinal study was to examine whether parental involvement, neighborhood violence, and peer antisocial behavior were significantly related to adolescent adjustment when examined separately and simultaneously using a low-income sample.

The sample consisted of 171 adolescent girls (M age = 13.58; range = 12-17 years, 24.6% European American, 75.4% racial/ethnic minorities) and parents (81.3% biological mothers; Median annual income = $27,300; 42.1% single parents; 47.4% living below poverty line). Parental involvement (mean of parent and adolescent reports), neighborhood violence (adolescent reports), and peer antisocial behavior (adolescent reports) were assessed at Time 1. At Time 2 (two years later), adolescent antisocial behavior and prosocial behavior were based on parent and adolescent reports. Adolescent internalizing symptoms was created using self-reports.

Bivariate correlations indicated that high levels of parental involvement were significantly related to low levels of antisocial behavior and internalizing symptoms and high levels of prosocial behavior (See Table 1). In addition, peer antisocial behavior was positively and significantly related to youth antisocial behavior and internalizing problems. High levels of neighborhood violence were significantly related to high levels of antisocial behavior and low levels of prosocial behavior. Turning to the regression analyses, the findings indicated that peer antisocial behavior and neighborhood violence (but not parental involvement) were significantly and positively related to antisocial behavior after controlling for adolescent age and parent education (see Table 2). In contrast, parental involvement (but not peer antisocial behavior and neighborhood violence) was significantly and uniquely related to prosocial behavior. Also, parental involvement and peer antisocial behavior (but not neighborhood violence) were significantly and additively related to internalizing symptoms.

In sum, the findings from the current investigation suggest that families, neighborhoods, and peer relationships each may serve as critical contexts for socialization, though each may provide unique experiences for specific adolescent adjustment domains. That is, it is possible that neighborhoods and peer relationships may play particularly important roles in the development of antisocial and deviant behaviors. In addition, these findings suggest that active parental involvement in their adolescents’ lives among low-income families may foster altruistic and benevolent behaviors. In contrast, it is possible that adolescent internalizing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, may be socialized in relationships with parents and peers. Future research would benefit from an exploration of other socialization contexts and adolescent outcomes.

Authors

• Michael M Criss, Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
  Presenting Author

• Erin Wood, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  Non-Presenting Author

• Lixian Cui, NYU Shanghai
  Non-Presenting Author

• Amanda Sheffield Morris, Oklahoma State University - Tulsa
  Non-Presenting Author