Parenting and adolescent problem behavior: an integrated model with adolescent self-disclosure and perceived parental knowledge as intervening variables

Longitudinal Associations among Psychological Control, Positive and Negative Interactions, and Adolescents' Domain-Specific Disclosure to Parents

Although much research has shown that parental psychological control undermines adolescents' routine disclosure to parents, past research has not examined whether the effects of psychological control on disclosure are domain-specific and mediated by the quality of adolescents' interactions with mothers and fathers. The present one-year longitudinal study examined whether parental support and negative interactions with each parent mediated longitudinal associations between adolescents' ratings of psychological control and adolescents' disclosure about routine prudential, personal, and multifaceted activities, as defined by social domain theory. These issues were examined over one year in 174 mostly White (74%), U.S. middle class middle adolescents (M = 15.70 years, SD = 0.63, 83 males). Greater parental psychological control was associated over time with less disclosure to both parents about personal activities and less disclosure to fathers about multifaceted issues. Perceived declines in support fully mediated the effects of psychological control on adolescent disclosure to mothers about personal issues and partially mediated the effects on disclosure to fathers about personal and multifaceted issues. In addition, negative interactions led to decreased disclosure about prudential issues. Thus, perceived psychological control and relationship quality had domain-specific and parent-specific longitudinal effects on adolescent disclosure to parents about their routine activities.

What challenges do siblings of children with chronic disorders express to their parents? A thematic analysis of 73 sibling-parent dialogues

PURPOSE

The study explored challenges experienced by siblings of children with chronic disorders, as expressed by siblings in parent-child dialogues.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Seventy-three parent-child dialogues (M duration = 28.6 min) were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. The dialogues took place within the SIBS group intervention for siblings and parents of children with chronic disorders. The siblings (aged 8 to 14 years) had brothers and sisters with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, rare disorders, cerebral palsy, or severe mental health disorders. The data are from session 5 in the SIBS intervention, in which the siblings are to express their wishes about family-related challenges (e.g., desired changes) to their parents. The parents are encouraged to listen, explore, and validate the child's perspective before discussing solutions.

RESULTS

Most of the family-oriented challenges the siblings expressed were related to the diagnosis of the brother or sister with a disorder. Four main themes were identified: (1) Family life (e.g., limitations in family activities); (2) The diagnosis (e.g., concerns about the future); (3) Violence; and (4) Important relationships.

CONCLUSION

The siblings experienced challenges and difficult emotions in interactional processes in which the diagnosis affected family life and relationships. The study adds a new dimension to the field by identifying siblings' expressed challenges based on parent-child dialogues.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Identified themes can guide how parents should meet and address siblings' needs, how health care providers inform and support parents in doing so, and emphasize the relevance of interventions targeting family-level risk and resilience factors.

Disclosure of Exposure to Violence in Urban Adolescents

Research has documented high rates of exposure to violence in urban African American adolescents together with their negative effects on psychosocial adjustment. Coping with violence exposure may be facilitated by disclosure of these experiences to others, but little is known about the extent to which youth disclose their various experiences with violence. This study examined the prevalence of disclosure of violence experienced as a witness or victim in different contexts or locations to parents, friends, siblings, teachers, counselors, and relatives. Urban African American adolescents from Southeastern U.S. were interviewed at three time points (N = 81; average ages 13.3, 16.1, and 17.8). Across the three time points, 90% to 91% witnessed violence and 64% to 81% were victimized in the last year. Of these youth, 40% to 53% disclosed experiences of witnessing violence and 29% to 52% disclosed experiences of victimization. The results showed that disclosure of violence most often involved parents and friends, with fewer youth disclosing to teachers and counselors. Disclosure of violence victimization increased from early to late adolescence. Experiences of dating violence victimization were less likely to be disclosed by adolescents, especially among males. These findings support the need for more research on adolescents' disclosure of violence exposure and its links to adjustment, with implications for interventions aimed at improving coping in youth exposed to violence.

Voluntariness, timing, and consistency in adolescent routine disclosure and lying to parents

INTRODUCTION

Whether adolescents' routine disclosure to parents is voluntary is assumed but rarely assessed. Researchers also have not examined whether disclosure and lying are premeditated, occurring before rather than after disclosure or lying, and whether adolescents use a single strategy consistently rather than applying multiple strategies when deciding whether to disclose or lie about their activities. This study investigated these significant gaps in the literature and tested whether voluntariness (for disclosure), timing, consistency, and parental psychological control are associated with lessons learned from disclosure and lying.

METHODS

Narrative interviews were conducted in 2014-2015 with 131 primarily middle-class, mostly White US early and middle adolescents and college students (M's = 12.74, 15.81, 20.41 years). Narrated disclosure and lying interviews were reliably coded for voluntariness, timing, consistency, and lessons learned. Parental psychological control was assessed using an online survey.

RESULTS

Disclosure was primarily strategic or voluntary and less often involuntary. Lying occurred more often before the narrated event, whereas disclosure occurred more often after. Youth typically reported using other strategies besides the elicited one. Disclosing after was associated with lessons learned. Voluntary disclosure was associated with psychological growth, and psychological control was associated with negative self-lessons.

CONCLUSIONS

Disclosure and lying are complex and nuanced, varying in their timing, consistency, and voluntariness. These features contribute to adolescents' meaning-make from disclosure and lying. The findings have implications for future research on disclosure and secrecy.

The impact of internet adaptability on internet addiction: the serial mediation effect of meaning in life and anxiety

Introduction

Previous research has demonstrated the significant role of individual characteristics in adolescent Internet addiction. In line with this, our previous research has introduced the concept of "Internet adaptability" as a potential factor that enables individuals to effectively cope with the negative consequences of Internet use. However, further investigation is required to understand the impact of Internet adaptability on problematic Internet use, including Internet addiction, as well as its associated internal psychological factors. To address this research gap, the present study aims to examine the impact of Internet adaptability on internet addiction and explore the mediating roles of meaning in life and anxiety within this relationship.

Methods

A questionnaire was used to survey 2,144 adolescents from high schools in central China to investigate internet adaptability, meaning in life, anxiety, and internet addiction.

Results

The results revealed a significant negative correlation between Internet adaptability and adolescent internet addiction (r = -0.199, p < 0.01). Furthermore, our results indicated that Internet adaptability negatively predicts internet addiction (β = -0.086, p < 0.001). Additionally, mediation analyses revealed that both meaning in life (β = -0.060, p < 0.001) and anxiety (β = -0.032, p < 0.01) mediate the relationship between Internet adaptability and internet addiction. Moreover, a serial mediation effect involving meaning in life and anxiety was observed between Internet adaptability and internet addiction (β = -0.027, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

These findings suggest that Internet adaptability plays an important role in alleviating individual internet addiction. Our results indicate that increasing individuals' sense of meaning in life can help reduce anxiety, thereby potentially reducing internet addiction.

Comparing youth with and without type 1 diabetes on perceived parenting and peer functioning: a propensity weighting approach

The premise of this study was to gain more insight into whether type 1 diabetes (T1D) can impact how youth perceive parents and peers. To address limitations of previous observational studies comparing youth with T1D to control youth, propensity weighting was used to mimic a randomized controlled trial. A total of 558 youth with T1D and 426 control youth (14-26y) completed questionnaires on parental responsiveness, psychological control, overprotection, friend support, extreme peer orientation, and a host of background and psychological functioning variables. The groups were statistically weighted to become as comparable as possible except for disease status. The analysis plan and hypotheses were preregistered on the open science framework. Youth with T1D perceived their mothers to be more overprotective, perceived fewer friend support, and were less extremely oriented toward peers than control youth. There were no group differences for paternal overprotection and paternal and maternal responsiveness and psychological control. Mothers of youth with T1D seem at risk to practice overprotective parenting and clinicians could play an important role in making mothers aware of this risk. However, the absence of group differences for the maladaptive parenting dimension of psychological control and adaptive dimension of responsiveness are reassuring and testify to the resilient nature of youth with T1D and their families. Additionally, there is accumulating evidence that T1D could interfere with engaging in supportive friendships.

Developmental Changes in the Relation between Youth Disclosure and Parenting Behavior: A Cohort-sequential Analysis

To address a gap in the literature regarding the development of youth disclosure across the transition to adolescence, the current research uses a cohort-sequential approach to study youth disclosure from middle childhood through adolescence. Longitudinal data from three cohorts of parents were utilized (N = 1359; children at T1 were in grades 2 [M = 8.00 years, SD = 0.57 years, 45% female], 4 [M = 10.12 years, SD = 0.60 years, 45% female], and 9 [M = 15.19 years, SD = 0.57 years, 48% female]). Parents were assessed annually over a 3-year time period. The focal analyses explored contemporaneous associations between characteristics of the parent-youth relationship (specifically, parental rejection and parental consistent discipline) and youth disclosure after accounting for person-specific trajectories of disclosure. Associations of gender, age, and socioeconomic status with disclosure were also assessed. Regarding trajectories of youth disclosure, results indicate that youth disclose less information to their parents about their daily lives as they get older; this trend was consistent across gender and socioeconomic status. In terms of associations with youth disclosure, when parents provided more consistent discipline or engaged in less rejection of their child, youth disclosure increased, even after accounting for their own trajectory of disclosure across time. In addition, the association of consistent discipline with youth disclosure became stronger with increased youth age. Results are discussed in terms of implications for understanding youth autonomy development, and the dyadic and developmental impact of parenting behaviors over time.

Perceived Parental Support and Psychological Control, DNA Methylation, and Loneliness: Longitudinal Associations Across Early Adolescence

A broad range of factors have been associated with the development of adolescent loneliness. In the family context, a lack of parental support and high levels of parental psychological control have systematically been linked to loneliness. On the biological level, DNA methylation (which is an epigenetic process that suppresses gene expression) is believed to play a role in the development of loneliness. Specifically, high levels of DNA methylation in genes that play an important role in the functioning of the human stress response system are believed to elevate the risk of loneliness. Moreover, DNA methylation levels in these stress-related genes can be influenced by stressful environmental factors, suggesting a potential mediating role of DNA methylation in the association between parenting behaviors and loneliness. The current 3-year longitudinal study is the first study to examine the potential bidirectional longitudinal associations between loneliness, DNA methylation in stress-related genes, and both perceived parental support and psychological control. Furthermore, we explored the potential mediating role of DNA methylation in stress-related genes in the associations between perceived parenting and loneliness. The sample comprised 622 early adolescents (55% girls, M_{age T1} = 10.77 years, SD_{age T1} = 0.48) who were followed from Grade 5 to 7. Parental support, psychological control, and loneliness were assessed annually by adolescent self-report questionnaires and DNA methylation was determined from saliva samples. Cross-Lagged Panel Models (CLPM) revealed that higher levels of loneliness predicted lower perceived parental support and higher perceived psychological control over time, as well as higher DNA methylation in some stress-related genes, that is, the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, higher NR3C1 methylation was predictive of lower perceived parental support and higher psychological control over time. No evidence was found for a mediating role of DNA methylation. Overall, our longitudinal findings challenge the current focus on DNA methylation and parenting behaviors as risk factors for adolescent loneliness. Instead, they suggest that the less considered direction of effects, which implies that loneliness predicts DNA methylation and aspects of parenting such as support and psychological control, should receive greater attention in future research.

The relationship between depressed affect, parental monitoring, and sex on cannabis use among American Indian youth

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

American Indian (AI) adolescents report higher rates of cannabis use than national US adolescents. Previous study examined interactive relationships between depressed affect and family factors on AI adolescent alcohol use. These factors have not been investigated for cannabis use. We examined whether parental monitoring dampened risk for cannabis use due to depressed affect, and potential moderation by sex.

METHODS

We measured cannabis use, depressed affect, parental monitoring, and sex among reservation area AI youth among students in grades 7-12 attending 45 schools. We used censor-inflated regression models to identify parental monitoring as a moderator of the relationship between depressed affect and cannabis use.

RESULTS

In the logistic portion of censor-inflated models, level of depressed affect and parental monitoring significantly related to last 30-day cannabis use. Higher levels of parental monitoring at lower levels of depressed affect related to lower likelihood of cannabis use. Female students had greater likelihood of endorsing cannabis use at higher levels of depressed affect. In the linear portion of the censor-inflated regression models, sex and level of parental monitoring significantly related to cannabis use frequency. Male students endorsed more frequent cannabis use while higher levels of parental monitoring related to lower frequency of use.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Parental monitoring may dampen the effect of depressed affect on cannabis use among AI youth on reservations.

SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE

Future interventions should foster skill-building prevention efforts directed at coping with depression, along with parental training for effective monitoring. Special attention to AI female adolescents may be indicated.

Protective Effect of Parental Monitoring on Early-to-Mid Adolescents Displaying High-Level and Increasing Aggressive Behavior

Studies that distinguish parental monitoring (parent-driven behaviors) from parental knowledge often fail to find protective effects of monitoring on adolescent behavior problems. To answer whether parental monitoring is more strongly associated with adolescent behavior problems among adolescents who may need it most, this study applied group-based trajectory modeling to change in early- to mid-adolescent aggressive behavior problems and examined associations between parental monitoring with different subgroups. Three latent groups of adolescents were found: Low Aggression, Medium-Increasing Aggression, and High-Increasing Aggression. Results show that more maternal and paternal monitoring were associated with fewer adolescent aggressive behavior problems only for adolescents in the High-Increasing Group. This result suggests that parental monitoring is a protective factor against adolescent aggressive behavior problems for subgroups of adolescents who may need it most and less impactful for other adolescents.

Unraveling the Bidirectional Associations between Parental Knowledge and Children's Externalizing Behavior

Although within- and between-family bidirectional associations between parental knowledge and children's externalizing behavior have been theoretically proposed, studies that unravel these associations simultaneously remain scarce. This study examined these bidirectional associations within and between German families. 3611 families participated across one-year intervals between children ages 8 to 15 (50.6% boys, 34.5% fathers, 89.0% German-born, M_waves = 3.63, SD_waves = 2.00). Random intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) with linear slopes revealed negative between-family associations between parental knowledge and children's externalizing behavior, and a negative association between the random linear slopes. Generally, no within-family cross-lagged effects were found, but there were some correlated slopes across families. When teasing apart paternal and maternal knowledge, father-driven but not mother-driven lagged effects of increased knowledge predicting decreased externalizing behavior were found. The findings illustrate the importance of fathers' knowledge and new directions for within-family studies of parent-child interactions.

Genetic risk of AUDs and childhood impulsivity: Examining the role of parenting and family environment

This study examined the independent and interactive effects of genetic risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD), parenting behaviors, and family environment on childhood impulsivity. Data were drawn from White (n = 5,991), Black/African American (n = 1,693), and Hispanic/Latino (n = 2,118) youth who completed the baseline assessment (age 9-10) and had genotypic data available from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Participants completed questionnaires and provided saliva or blood samples for genotyping. Results indicated no significant main effects of AUD genome-wide polygenic scores (AUD-PRS) on childhood impulsivity as measured by the UPPS-P scale across racial/ethnic groups. In general, parental monitoring and parental acceptance were associated with lower impulsivity; family conflict was associated with higher impulsivity. There was an interaction effect between AUD-PRS and family conflict, such that family conflict exacerbated the association between AUD-PRS and positive urgency, only among Black/African American youth. This was the only significant interaction effect detected from a total of 45 tests (five impulsivity dimensions, three subsamples, and three family factors), and thus may be a false positive and needs to be replicated. These findings highlight the important role of parenting behaviors and family conflict in relation to impulsivity among children.

Examining family processes linked to adolescent problem behaviors in single-mother families: The moderating role of school connectedness

Objective

Previous research has shown that adolescents in single-mother households are at heightened risk for adjustment problems. However, limited studies have investigated the mechanisms leading to adolescent problem behaviors in single-mother households. To address this research gap, this study applied the Family Stress Model to examine how single mothers’ material hardship is linked to adolescent problem behaviors, focusing on the mediating roles of mothers’ depression and mother-adolescent closeness. The moderating role of adolescent school connectedness in the relationships between mother-adolescent closeness and school connectedness and between mothers’ depression and school connectedness was also investigated.

Materials and methods

The study analyzed data from 1,384 adolescents and their single mothers who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study at Wave 6. The associations between study variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling by decomposing the direct, indirect, and total effects of material hardship on adolescent problem behaviors. School connectedness’s interactions with mother-adolescent closeness and mothers’ depression were also examined.

Results

Results showed a significant indirect relationship between material hardship and adolescent problem behaviors through sequential mediation of mothers’ depression and mother-adolescent closeness. Mothers’ depression also significantly mediated the relationship between material hardship and problem behaviors. Lastly, school connectedness moderated the relationship between mother-adolescent closeness and adolescents’ internalizing behaviors. The association between mother-adolescent closeness and adolescents’ internalizing behavior was weaker for adolescents with higher levels of school connectedness.

Conclusion

The results indicate the important indirect effect of economic strain on adolescents’ problems behaviors in single-mother households, which has been less emphasized compared to the effects in earlier childhood. High rates of material hardship and adolescent problem behaviors in single-mother families call for multifaceted interventions focusing on family processes and protective factors, including school environment.

How Do Adolescents Manage Information in the Relationship with Their Parents? A Latent Class Analysis of Disclosure, Keeping Secrets, and Lying

The use of disclosure and concealment strategies by adolescents in the relationship with their parents may have important implications for their adjustment. Few studies of adolescents' information management have taken a person-centered approach, yet it is a useful way to understand variations in how they regulate information shared with their parents. This study explored adolescents' information management constellations with their mothers and fathers, and how these patterns differ in terms of perceived need-supportive parenting, autonomous reasons for disclosure, and problematic alcohol use. Three hundred thirty-two Swiss adolescents (45% female; M_age = 15.01 years) reported information management strategies used with each parent (disclosure, keeping secrets, lying), perceptions of maternal and paternal need-supportive parenting (involvement, autonomy support, structure), autonomous reasons for disclosure, and problematic alcohol use. Latent class analyses revealed three classes: Reserved (37%), Communicators (36%), and Deceptive (27%). Comparisons across classes showed that adolescents in the Communicators class reported the highest levels of parental involvement and autonomy support, as well as autonomous reasons for disclosure. Adolescents in the Deceptive class reported the lowest levels of parental involvement and autonomy support, as well as autonomous reasons for disclosure. Associations between classes and problematic alcohol use were also found, such that the likelihood of problem drinking was greater for adolescents in the Deceptive class. These findings underscore the importance of continued information sharing with both parents, and underline how a need-supportive parenting context may encourage adolescents to talk voluntarily.

Individual differences in environmental sensitivity at physiological and phenotypic level: Two sides of the same coin?

Young adolescents are hypothesized to differ in their environmental sensitivity, at both phenotypic (i.e., Sensory Processing Sensitivity [SPS]) and physiological (i.e., biological stress response) level. This is the first study that investigated whether individual differences in environmental sensitivity at physiological level could be predicted by individual differences at phenotypic level, as measured with the HSC scale. A total of 101 adolescents (M_age = 11.61, SD_age = 0.64) participated in a standardized social stress task (i.e., Trier Social Stress Task-Modified version for children and adolescents (TSST-M)). From baseline to the end of recovery, eight cortisol samples were collected, as well as a continuous measure of Autonomic Nervous System activity. Adolescents reported on SPS and on perceived stress before, during, and after TSST-M. As a follow-up analysis, the quality of the environment, the possible overlap with Neuroticism, and several covariates were considered. Multilevel models were used to investigate within- and between-person differences in stress reactivity across different systems. Results indicate significant individual differences in heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance, cortisol, and perceived stress in response to the TSST-M. Only for perceived stress significant differences in SPS were observed, with more sensitive individuals perceiving more negative and less positive affect. For environmental quality and the interaction between SPS and Neuroticism results showed higher recovery rates of heart rate in high quality environments and stronger cortisol responses for adolescents scoring high on both SPS and Neuroticism. Potential explanations for these findings and implications for current theorizing on environmental sensitivity are discussed.

Parental Autonomy Support, Parental Psychological Control and Chinese University Students' Behavior Regulation: The Mediating Role of Basic Psychological Needs

The present research examined relationships between parental autonomy support, parental psychological control, and Chinese emerging adults' autonomous regulation in their university studies as well as dysregulation in social media engagement. A total of 287 (102 female and 185 male) Chinese university students reported on their perceived parenting styles, psychological needs, and behavior regulation. Results showed that basic psychological need satisfaction was positively associated with parental autonomy support and autonomous regulation of learning; need frustration was positively correlated with parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. More importantly, psychological need frustration was a mediator of the relation between parental psychological control and dysregulation in social media engagement. Our findings suggest that students living in an autonomy-supportive familial environment tend to have satisfied psychological needs as well as autonomous learning behavior. Impairment of psychological needs could be one of the mechanisms through which psychologically controlling parenting was linked to dysregulation of social media use in Chinese culture.

Communicating emotional distress experienced by adolescents between adolescents and their mothers: Patterns and links with adolescents' emotional distress

This research proposes the construct of Communication Patterns of adolescents' emotional distress (CPAED) between adolescents and their parents, describing situations in which open or defective dialog about adolescents' emotions following distressful events are formed between adolescents and their parents. By addressing adolescents' perceptions of CPAED in adolescents and their mothers, we developed a valid and reliable scale to assess the hypothesized CPAED theoretical framework. Factor analyses in Study 1 (EFA; N = 257, M_age = 15.66 years old, SD = 0.35) and Study 2 (CFA; initial N = 684; M_age = 14.08, SD = 0.45) suggested three factors: a) Active and Reactive Emotion Sharing (ARES), referring to adolescents' active sharing of emotion or reactive sharing in the face of maternal inquiry; b) Lack of Solicitation by mothers (LS), tracking mothers' avoidance of communication; and c) Lack of Response by adolescents (LR), describing adolescents' avoidance of communication even when asked by mothers. Moreover, Study 2 documented that CPAED were linked to maternal emotion socialization practices (i.e., emotion expressivity and responses to adolescents' negative emotions) and adolescents' negative emotion expression. Study 2 found that ARES predicted decreased emotional distress in adolescents, whereas LS and LR predicted increased emotional distress accordingly; and the three factors of CPAED incrementally predicted adolescents' emotional distress over and beyond other theoretically relevant predictors.

Perceived Parental Knowledge Reduces Risk for Initiation of Nicotine and Cannabis Vaping: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescents

PURPOSE

This study examines the role of perceived parental knowledge on initiation of nicotine and cannabis vaping among youth.

DESIGN

Longitudinal study from a self-administered online survey. Three waves of data collected in 6-month intervals.

SETTING

79 public and private schools in Texas.

PARTICIPANTS

Adolescents who self-reported never using e-cigarette to vape nicotine (n=1907; weighted sample [N] = 304371) or vape cannabis (n=2212; N=351955) at baseline. Participants were in 8^th, 10^th, and 12^th grade at baseline.

MEASURES

Self-reported measures of nicotine and cannabis vaping.

ANALYSES

Weighted multivariate logistic regression models examined role of perceived parental knowledge at baseline (Spring 2016) as a predictor of nicotine and cannabis vaping initiation at 6-month (Fall 2016) and 12 month (Spring 2017) follow-up. Covariates were age, sex, race/ethnicity, and other tobacco use.

RESULTS

Initiation rates were 5.9% for nicotine vaping and 8.6% for cannabis vaping, at 12-month follow-up overall. Higher perceived parental knowledge was associated with lower odds of nicotine vaping initiation at 6 months (adj OR: .69; 95% CI: .50-.93) and 12 months (adj OR: .68; 95% CI: .50-.92). Similarly, higher perceived parental knowledge was associated with lower odds of cannabis vaping initiation at 6 months (adj OR: .58; 95% CI: .38-.87) and 12 months (adj OR: .53; 95% CI: .38-.74).

CONCLUSION

E-cigarette prevention efforts directed at adolescents should incorporate parent engagement strategies as a method of increasing actual and perceived parental knowledge of their child's location, activities and peer groups.

Psychosocial Functioning in Siblings of Children With Rare Disorders Compared to Controls

Siblings of children with chronic disorders are at increased risk of psychosocial problems. The risk may be exacerbated when the chronic disorder is rare and limited medical knowledge is available, due to more uncertainty and feelings of isolation. We examined mental health, parent-child communication, child-parent relationship quality, and social support among 100 children aged 8 to 16 years (M age 11.5 years, SD = 2.2; 50.0% boys, 50.0% girls). Fifty-six were siblings of children with rare disorders, and 44 were controls. The siblings of children with rare disorders (herein, siblings) were recruited from a resource centre for rare disorders and comprised siblings of children with a range of rare disorders including neuromuscular disorders and rare chromosomal disorders with intellectual disability. Controls were recruited from schools. Self-reported child mental health was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (effect size difference d = 0.75). Parent-reported child mental health was not significantly different between the groups (d = -0.06 to 0.16). Most child-parent relationships (anxiety/avoidance; mothers/fathers) were significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = 0.47 to 0.91). There was no difference between groups in anxious relation with mother. Parent-child communication was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = -0.87 to -0.75). Social support was significantly poorer for siblings compared to controls (d = 0.61). We conclude that siblings of children with rare disorders display more psychosocial problems than controls. Interventions are indicated to prevent further maladjustment for siblings.

Daily-Life Social Experiences as a Potential Mediator of the Relationship Between Parenting and Psychopathology in Adolescence

Adolescence is a vulnerable period for psychopathology development, and certain parenting styles are consistent and robust predictors of a broad range of mental health outcomes. The mechanisms through which maladaptive parenting styles affect the development of psychopathology are assumed to be largely social in nature. Yet, the social mechanisms linking parenting to psychopathology are unexplored at arguably the most important level of functioning: daily life. This study aims to identify the associations between three parenting styles, and the experience of daily-life social interactions. Furthermore, we aim to explore the extent to which these parenting styles and altered daily-life social experiences are associated with psychopathology. In this study, we recruited a sample of N = 1,913 adolescents (63.3% girls; mean age = 13.7, age range = 11 to 20) as part of the first wave of the longitudinal cohort study "SIGMA". Parenting styles (psychological control, responsiveness, and autonomy support) and psychopathology symptoms were assessed using a retrospective questionnaire battery. The experienced quality of social interactions in different types of company was assessed using the experience sampling method, ten times per day for 6 days. Direct associations between parenting styles and general quality of daily-life social experiences were tested using a three-level linear model, revealing significant associations between social experiences and different parenting styles. When interaction effects were added to this model, we found that maternal responsiveness and paternal psychological control mainly related to altered qualities of social interactions with parents, while paternal autonomy support was associated with better experiences of non-family social interactions. Finally, an exploratory path analysis highlighted how both paternal autonomy support and altered quality of non-family interactions are uniquely associated with psychopathology levels. These findings demonstrate the general and pervasive effects of maladaptive parenting styles, as parenting seems to broadly affect adolescents' interactions with different types of social partners in everyday life. Moreover, they illustrate a potential mediated relationship in which altered daily-life social interactions could drive the development of psychopathology. A stronger focus may be required on the role of altered day-to-day social experiences in the prevention and potentially, the treatment, of adolescent psychopathology.

Parental listening when adolescents self-disclose: A preregistered experimental study

Parental listening is believed to be an important quality of parent-child interactions, but its effects on adolescents are not well understood. The current study experimentally manipulated parental listening in video-recordings of an adolescent's self-disclosure to test effects on anticipated well-being (positive affect, self-esteem, and less negative affect) and self-disclosure intention. Good listening was manipulated in two situations relevant to vaping: hurt feelings of alienation from pressuring peers and having transgressed by vaping. Participants (N = 1001) aged 13-16 years viewed videos and reported on their anticipated reactions. Following a preregistered analytic plan, viewing good listening was found to predict greater well-being and self-disclosure intention. Consistent with self-determination theory, anticipated psychological need satisfaction for autonomy (freedom to be self-congruent) and relatedness (connectedness to parents) mediated the effects of listening on downstream outcomes. Parental listening effects on adolescent outcomes generalized across both situations of disclosure, in line with preregistered hypotheses.

Expressed Emotion in Families of Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy and Down Syndrome: Relations with Parenting Stress and Parenting Behaviors

This study examined the family emotional climate as assessed by Five Minute Speech Samples and the relation with parenting stress and parenting behaviors among parents of children (6-17 years, 64.7% boys) with autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and without any known disability (n = 447). The large majority of parents (79%) showed low levels of Expressed Emotion, an indicator of a positive family climate. In all groups, more Emotional Over-involvement, more Criticism and fewer expressions of Warmth were associated with higher levels of parenting stress. Across groups, Emotional Over-involvement was related to more autonomy-supportive parenting, Criticism to more psychologically controlling and overreactive parenting, and Warmth was associated with more responsive and less psychologically controlling and overreactive parenting.

Empathy as a Mediator of the Relationship between Authoritative Parenting and Delinquent Behavior in Adolescence

The characteristics of authoritative parenting, including high parental nurturance and appropriate control, are protective against adolescents' delinquency. However, the mediating psychological mechanisms are not well understood. This three-wave longitudinal study with 704 adolescents (52% males; 76% African American) investigated empathy at age 13 as a mediator of the prospective association between authoritative parenting (child's disclosure and parental nurturance) at age 11 with delinquency at age 18. The results of a structural equation model revealed a significant indirect effect of authoritative parenting on delinquency through empathy. Authoritative parenting at age 11 predicted increased empathy at age 13, which then predicted decreased delinquency at age 18. These findings suggest that authoritative parenting reduces adolescents' delinquency by promoting empathy.

Becoming a perfectionistic adolescent: Perceived parental behaviors involved in developmental trajectories of perfectionism

Perfectionism is a pervasive and prevalent personality disposition with high implications for psychological maladjustment. Adolescence represents a particularly relevant period for the development of perfectionism, and perceived parental behaviors have been shown to play an important part. Yet, so far only few longitudinal studies have investigated the role of risk and protective parental behaviors in the development of perfectionism in adolescents. Examining a sample of 744 adolescents ( Mage = 15.2 years), the present study investigated developmental trajectories of self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented perfectionism over four waves spaced five to six months apart. Results of growth mixture modeling showed that self-oriented perfectionism followed three developmental trajectories (low and decreasing; medium and decreasing; high and stable) as did socially prescribed perfectionism (low and stable; medium and increasing; high and stable). Other-oriented perfectionism showed four developmental trajectories (low and decreasing; low and stable; high and stable; high and increasing). Significant differences were observed between groups regarding all investigated perceived parental behaviors (psychological control, behavioral control, responsiveness, and autonomy support). Similarities and differences between the development of each form of perfectionism and the role of each parental behavior as well as implications of these findings for the understanding of the development of perfectionism in adolescence are discussed.

Community Violence Exposure and Externalizing Problem Behavior Among Chinese High School Students: The Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge

Adolescents' community violence exposure (CVE) has been demonstrated with a range of behavioral and psychological problems, but the processes that explain these correlations are not clear. In our 2017 study, the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation in the relationship between CVE and externalizing problem behaviors has been confirmed. However, the moderating effect of parental factors is still unclear. Therefore, a new group (high school group) was adopted in this study to further explore the moderating effect of parental knowledge based on also confirming the mediating effect of deviant peer affiliation. Stratified-cluster sampling was used to recruit 1,797 volunteers who completed questionnaires on CVE, deviant peer affiliation, parental knowledge, and externalizing problem behaviors. The results of the structural equation modeling were: on the basis of our previous research, we further analyzed the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation, and the mediated association was moderated by parental knowledge. Especially when the school climate is added as a covariate, the moderating effect of parental knowledge has changed, that is, the positive association between CVE and externalizing problem behaviors was much stronger for adolescents who reported lower levels of parental knowledge than for those who reported higher levels of parental knowledge. The results support the assumptions of social learning theory and have implications for interventions of community violence.

Helicopter parenting and alcohol use in adolescence: A quadratic relation

Aims: Research has underscored that an excessively intrusive parental style, defined as helicopter parenting, could be a risk factor for maladaptive behaviours in youth, including alcohol use and drug consumption. However, such at-risk behaviours have also been associated with low levels of parental involvement and warmth. Thus, the relationship between parental involvement and at-risk behaviours in adolescents is not clear. The purpose of the current study was to identify the relation between helicopter parenting and alcohol use in a sample of Italian youth. Design: The participants were 402 adolescents (233 female) between the ages of 14 and 19 years (M_age= 17.20, SD = 1.66). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine linear, quadratic, and exponential models and to verify which model best described the correlation. Results: The results showed a quadratic correlation between mothers’ helicopter parenting and alcohol use, whereby higher and lower levels of mothers’ helicopter parenting were associated with adolescents’ alcohol use. Conclusions: The empirical data are essential for improving our understanding of the implications and potential outcomes of helicopter parenting during adolescence.

The Moderating Role of Parenting Dimensions in the Association between Traditional or Cyberbullying Victimization and Mental Health among Adolescents of Different Sexual Orientation

Cyberbullying victimization is associated with mental health problems and reported to occur more in nonheterosexual orientation youth (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ)) than among heterosexual youth. Parental support may protect against mental health problems after being victimized, but nonsupportive parental influences may also exacerbate harm. This study investigated whether parenting dimensions (autonomy support, psychological control) moderated the associations between bullying victimization and mental health problems among heterosexual and LGBQ adolescents. An anonymous survey was completed by 1037 adolescents (M age = 15.2 ± 1.9, 50% female). Regression analyses examined associations between victimization, sexual orientation, and mental health problems, and investigated the moderating role of parenting. Both forms of victimization were associated with higher mental health problems. LGBQ youth experienced more depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation than heterosexual youth. Lower levels of parental psychological control and higher levels of autonomy support were related to having fewer mental health problems. However, perceived autonomy support appeared less protective when adolescents experienced more frequent victimization. Moreover, parental psychological control was related to heightened risk for suicidal plans specifically among LGBQ youth and also exacerbated the association between cyberbullying victimization and stress among LGBQ youth. These findings underscore the need to address parenting in whole-school antibullying and mental health promotion programs.

The Gratification of Psychological Needs and Well-Being Among Turkish Adolescents: An Examination of Direct and Indirect Links

Based on the self-determination theory (SDT), the present study tested a mediational model in a cross-sectional data and found that gratification of basic psychological needs (GBPN; autonomy, relatedness, and competence) in adolescents' relationships with their mother and father is linked with wellness (life satisfaction, problem-solving confidence, and anxiety), through family cohesion, and disclosure and secrecy from mother. Adolescents (N = 1,097; 61.6% girls, M_age  = 15.12, SD = 0.64; range = 14-16 years) were from nine public schools in Istanbul, Turkey. Findings showed that GBPN in the relationship with each parent has unique contribution to family cohesion, adolescent disclosure and secrecy from parents, and wellness. Findings also supported SDT's claim that GBPN is conducive to well-being cross-culturally.

Improving the Measurement of Environmental Sensitivity in Children and Adolescents: The Highly Sensitive Child Scale-21 Item Version

Children differ in their sensitivity to positive and negative environmental influences, which can be measured with the Highly Sensitive Child (HSC) scale. The present study introduces the HSC-21, an adaptation of the original 12 item scale with new items and factor structure that are meant to be more informative than the original ones. The psychometric properties of the HSC-21 were investigated in 1,088 children across Belgium and the Netherlands, including child and mother reports. Results showed evidence for (a) bifactor model with a general sensitivity factor and two specific factors (i.e., Ease of Excitation-Low Sensory Threshold and Aesthetic Sensitivity); (b) (partial) measurement invariance across gender, developmental stage, country, and informants; (c) moderate child-mother agreement; (d) good reliability; (e) normally distributed item scores; and (f) meaningful associations with personality and temperament across both samples. No evidence was found for HSC-21 as a moderator in the relationship between parenting and problem behaviors.

Social Media Use and Monitoring for Adolescents With Depression and Implications for the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Study of Parent and Child Perspectives

BACKGROUND

Although youth report many positive experiences with social media (SM) use in their daily lives, adolescents with depression are more vulnerable to the risks of SM use than adolescents without depression. Parents protect adolescents with depression from the risks of SM use by monitoring their child's SM activity; however, this comes into conflict with the adolescent's need for autonomy in their web-based communication. The implications of SM use and monitoring for adolescents with depression and their parents are of particular relevance to the COVID-19 pandemic, as rates of SM use have increased in response to physical distancing measures.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore parent and child perspectives regarding the use and function of SM in the daily lives of adolescents with depression and parents' perceptions of and experience with monitoring their child's SM use.

METHODS

We conducted qualitative interviews with adolescents with depression (n=23) and one parent of each adolescent (n=23) between July 2013 and September 2014. The adolescents were patients seeking treatment for depression in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Data analysis included dyadic analysis of the adolescents' and parents' perspectives and qualitative descriptions of individual parent interviews to explore their experiences with SM use and monitoring. The construct of parental knowledge and factors hypothesized to contribute to parental knowledge, including adolescent disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental control, were used to guide the codebook and dyadic data analysis.

RESULTS

Dyadic analyses showed that parents and their children disagreed on the use and function of SM in the daily lives of adolescents with depression, with adolescents viewing SM as a forum for honest expression of their emotions, whereas parents felt that their children's posts were inconsequential and interfered with the adolescents' lives. Furthermore, parents reported using a wide range of strategies to gain knowledge of their child's SM use to monitor their safety on SM, including direct solicitation and indirect solicitation, such as keeping the child's passwords, asking friends or siblings about their child's SM use, and restricting SM behavior and access to devices.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinicians should support adolescents with depression and their parents in finding common ground for an effective and acceptable monitoring approach. Resources are provided for clinicians navigating conversations about SM use and monitoring with adolescents with depression and their parents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perceived Parental Monitoring: A Systematic Review of Monitoring Instruments

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate parental monitoring instruments and the theoretical perspectives informing their development.

METHODS

Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, seven databases were searched for original studies using a monitoring instrument. The psychometric properties of each identified instrument were assessed using the "COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement INstruments" (COSMIN) methodology.

RESULTS

Of 2,245 articles identified, 72 studies representing six parental monitoring instruments met inclusion criteria. Quality of reporting on psychometric properties varied widely across instruments with only three including content validation studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings of this review reveal inattention to the psychometric quality of child self-reported monitoring instruments. Future research must focus on the psychometric quality of instruments used to measure the parent-child relationship.

Perceived Parental Knowledge and Adolescent Substance Use Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Whether parental permission of alcohol and other drug use in a home environment is protective against substance-related negative outcomes remains controversial. We investigated substance use at home, with or without parental knowledge, and its association with substance-related consequences.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 21,207 U.S. students in the 6th to 12th grades surveyed between 2009 and 2017. Substance use patterns and rates of negative outcomes were analyzed by comparing groups of participants who had not used at home, or had used at home with and/or without parental knowledge.

RESULTS

Adolescents who used substances at home without parental knowledge used alcohol and substances in greater amounts, and tended to have more negative outcomes than those who did not. Students who had not used at home or had used only with parental knowledge tended to have lower levels of use and negative outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Using at home without parental knowledge was a consistent risk factor for substance-related negative outcomes. These results highlight the importance of screening adolescents for the use of alcohol or drugs in the home without parental knowledge, as well as attempting to prevent substance use in the household.

Developmental Changes in Secrecy During Middle Adolescence: Links with Alcohol Use and Perceived Controlling Parenting

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by fundamental transformations in parent-child communication. Although a normative shift in adolescents' secrecy seems to occur in parallel to changes in their drinking behaviors and in their perceptions of the relationship with their parents, relatively little attention has been paid to their associations over time. The present longitudinal study examined the associations between developmental changes in adolescents' secrecy, alcohol use, and perceptions of controlling parenting during middle adolescence, using a latent growth curve approach. At biannual intervals for two consecutive years, a sample of 473 Swiss adolescents (64.7% girls) beginning their last year of mandatory school (mean age at Time 1 = 14.96) completed self-report questionnaires about secrecy, alcohol use, and perceived controlling parenting. The results of the univariate models showed mean level increases in secrecy and alcohol use, but stable levels in controlling parenting over time. The results of a parallel-process model indicated that higher initial levels of secrecy were associated with higher initial levels of alcohol use and perceived controlling parenting, while an increase in secrecy was associated with an increase in alcohol use and an increase in perceived controlling parenting over time. In addition, adolescents who reported the lowest initial levels of perceived controlling parenting showed a greater increase in secrecy over time and those with high initial levels of secrecy reported a relative decrease in perceived controlling parenting. Finally, adolescents with the lowest initial levels of alcohol use experienced a greater increase in secrecy. Overall, these results indicate that the development of adolescents' secrecy is associated with the development of their drinking habits and perceptions of family relationships in dynamic ways.

Daily parenting of children with cerebral palsy: The role of daily child behavior, parents' daily psychological needs, and mindful parenting

The purpose of this study was to advance the current understanding of the daily dynamics that are involved in raising a child with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Specifically, we examined the role of mindful parenting and of day-to-day variation in parents' psychological needs and child behavior in explaining day-to-day variation in parents' autonomy-supportive, psychologically controlling, and responsive parenting behavior. Parents (N = 58) of children with CP (Mage = 12.68 years) participated in a 7-day diary study. Multilevel analyses indicated that parents' autonomy-supportive, psychologically controlling, and responsive behaviors fluctuate considerably between days. Further, daily fluctuations in both child behavior and parents' own psychological needs were found to be associated with this daily variability in parenting. In addition, interindividual differences in mindful parenting were associated positively with parents' responsiveness and negatively with psychologically controlling parenting across the week. These findings point towards the changeability of parenting behavior among parents of a child with CP and suggest that interventions targeting parenting behavior in the context of CP will be most effective when taking into account both the parents' and the child's functioning.

Self-disclosure during adolescence: exploring the means, targets, and types of personal exchanges

Sharing information about oneself, or self-disclosing, is a fundamental interpersonal process that facilitates the attainment of key developmental milestones during adolescence. Changes in self-disclosure behaviors may reflect or support the social reorientation that sees children become increasingly reliant on peers for social and emotional support. Neuroimaging research has highlighted protracted maturation of the structure and function of brain regions that support social cognitive and reward processes underlying self-disclosure during adolescence. This review explores behavioral and neural trends in self-disclosure during adolescence, including research that uses novel experimental paradigms to extend the field beyond self-report measures. Findings show that certain aspects of self-disclosure behavior have adapted to changing social environments, but they remain intrinsically valued across the adolescent period and are essential for relationship development, identity formation and overall self-worth and well-being.

Adolescent–Parent Relationships: Progress, Processes, and Prospects

The nature of adolescent–parent relationships has been a topic of enduring concern in developmental science. In this article, we review theory and current research on several central topics. First, we define adolescence as a developmental period and briefly discuss current theoretical and analytical approaches. Then, we consider adolescent–parent relationship quality, including developmental trends and individual differences in negative interactions, positive relationships, and conflict resolution, as well as research that examines relationship quality within different family subsystems. Next, we discuss effects of emotional variability and flexibility on parent–adolescent relationships and review research on adolescents’ and parents’ beliefs about parental authority legitimacy. This is followed by a discussion of current research on parenting effects on adolescent–parent relationships, including approaches that provide greater specificity in defining parental control and its links with relationship quality, as well as research on parental monitoring and adolescent information management. We conclude this article with directions for future research.

Do Parenting Practices and Child Disclosure Predict Parental Knowledge? A Meta-Analysis

Parental knowledge of a child's whereabouts, activities, and relationships is one of the most salient factors protecting adolescents against delinquency and misconduct. It is important to understand which strategies are the most effective. Little is known about the relative strength of associations between different parental strategies and parental knowledge, as well as the potential moderating factors of these associations. Seeking to clarify the effectiveness of various strategies in providing parents with knowledge about their adolescent (ages 10-18) offspring's activities and relationships, this meta-analytic review of 32 studies showed that children's disclosure was significantly better than any parental strategy except for parental warmth, which, along with behavioral control, seems to set the stage for the effectiveness of children's disclosure. Consistent with previous findings, psychological control was found to be the strategy with the lowest effect size. Further moderation analyses suggested that behavioral control had a better effect in Eastern than in Western cultures. Longitudinal studies were infrequent and displayed significantly lower effect sizes than one-time (correlational) studies for parental solicitation and children's disclosure. Parental warmth was the best long-acting strategy. The effect of behavioral control was higher for mothers than fathers, suggesting that behavioral control was better executed by mothers. These findings enhance our understanding of primary sources of parental knowledge of adolescents' activities and relationships. Implications for future research and design of interventions are also discussed.

When is Parental Monitoring Effective? A Person-centered Analysis of the Role of Autonomy-supportive and Psychologically Controlling Parenting in Referred and Non-referred Adolescents

Over the last few years, the protective role of parental monitoring on adolescent adjustment (i.e., active parental efforts aimed at setting limits and tracking adolescents' activities and whereabouts) has been challenged. Recent research has shifted attention to the conditions under which monitoring may be more or less effective. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study investigated the role of parents' autonomy-supportive and psychologically controlling parenting in effects of parental monitoring on adolescents' adjustment. It also considered the role of adolescents' clinical status (i.e., clinically referred vs non-referred). Adopting a person-centered approach, we aimed to identify naturally occurring profiles of monitoring, autonomy-support, and psychological control and to examine differences between these profiles in terms of life satisfaction, positive affect, and internalizing and externalizing problems. Participants included 218 referred (M_age = 14.44, 56% girls) and 218 matched adolescents from a larger sample of 1056 community (Mage = 14.83, 52.9% girls). Multigroup Latent Profile Analyses revealed five parenting profiles which were structurally equivalent in both samples: high monitoring with either high autonomy support or high psychological control, low monitoring with either high autonomy-support or high psychological control, and an average profile. Referred youth were significantly more present in the average profile and in the profiles characterized by high levels of psychological control. As hypothesized, profiles showed a differential association with adolescents' self-reported adjustment, with the high monitoring-high autonomy support profile yielding the most optimal and the low monitoring-high psychological control profile yielding the worst outcomes. Associations between profiles and outcomes were similar for referred and non-referred adolescents. These findings highlight the importance of considering the parenting climate (i.e., autonomy-supportive versus psychologically controlling) to understand effects of parental monitoring during adolescence.

Parenting, Effortful Control, and Adolescents' Externalizing Problem Behavior: Moderation by Dopaminergic Genes

Research shows that genetics and effortful control play an important role in the link between parenting and problem behavior. However, little is known about how these factors act simultaneously. This article used a moderated mediation model to examine whether effortful control mediated the link between parenting and externalizing problem behavior, and whether dopaminergic genes (i.e., polygenic index score including DAT1, DRD2, DRD4, COMT) moderated this link. Two three-wave studies were conducted on community samples (adolescents: Study 1: N = 457; M_age = 15.74; Study 2: N = 221; M_age = 12.84). There was no mediation by effortful control, but a moderation by dopaminergic reactivity was observed. Despite inconsistent evidence, this article indicates that the development of externalizing problem behavior is subject to genetic characteristics and parenting.

Perceptions and Beliefs Motivating Parental Discussions of Marijuana Use With Children

Background

Parents can influence their children's use of marijuana and other substances through targeted parent-child discussions. Little is known about what factors motivate parents' decisions to discuss marijuana use with their children.

Purpose

Guided by an elaborated prototype-willingness model, we tested hypotheses that: (a) parental perceived risk of harms and negative prototypes of youth who use marijuana positively predict worry about their child using marijuana; (b) higher perceived risk and worry predict higher intentions to discuss marijuana use with one's child; (c) negative prototypes and worry positively predict willingness to have discussions; and (d) higher intentions and willingness predicts having discussions.

Method

We administered a longitudinal survey to 499 American parents of youth ages 10 to 17 assessing risk perceptions, prototypes, worry, discussion intentions, and willingness. One month later, 409 participants completed another survey assessing whether they had discussed marijuana use with their child.

Results

At follow-up, 40% of participants reported having marijuana use discussions in the previous month. Structural-equation modeling revealed that perceived risks and negative prototypes positively predicted worry about their child using marijuana. Worry positively predicted intentions and willingness to discuss marijuana use with children. Worry mediated the relationship between perceived risks and intentions, but not the relationship between prototypes and willingness. Intentions positively predicted likelihood of marijuana use discussions, whereas willingness did not.

Conclusions

These findings support most predictions of the adapted model and identify cognitive and affective factors that could be targeted in health communications promoting parental discussions of marijuana use with children.

Adolescents' Daily Worries and Risky Behaviors: The Buffering Role of Support Seeking

With worries and risky behaviors becoming more prominent in adolescence, this study investigated bidirectional temporal connections between these two important adolescent concerns, that is, whether change in one concern is linked to change in the other either within the same day or during the next day. We also tested whether the coping strategy of seeking support from family and friends moderated the link between worries and risky behaviors. For 10 days, an ethnically and racially diverse sample of adolescents (N = 103; M age = 18.0) reported on 26 common worries, 18 risky behaviors, and the impact of seeking support from others. Multilevel models showed that worries and risky behaviors covaried on the same day and that worries predicted next-day risky behavior for male but not female participants. In contrast, risky behaviors did not predict next-day worries. For adolescents reporting negative experiences of support seeking, worries led to next-day risky behaviors and risky behaviors led to next-day worries. Female adolescents' positive support-seeking experiences buffered the association between risky behaviors and next-day worries. These results were significant beyond any influence of daily negative mood or depressive and anxiety symptoms. The data demonstrate that worries and risky behaviors may be situational triggers for each other and highlight the importance, from intervention perspectives, of adolescents' communication of concerns to others.

Parental Knowledge Discrepancies: Examining the Roles of Warmth and Self-Disclosure

Discrepancies between parents' and adolescents' reports in parental knowledge of adolescents' daily activities and whereabouts are common and have implications for adolescents' well-being and school success. Grounded in a family systems perspective utilizing reports from parents and adolescents, the goal of this study was to explore the extent to which parent-adolescent warmth and adolescent self-disclosure could account for discrepancies in parental knowledge by testing the indirect effects linking warmth to discrepancies in parental knowledge via adolescent self-disclosure. Participants were early adolescents (N = 172; 53% female) and their parents (90% mothers). Adolescents (57% African American/Black, 18% multiracial, 17% White/Caucasian, 7% Hispanic/Latino and 1% Asian American) attended a Midwestern, Title 1, urban, public middle school. Using structural equation modeling, findings showed that parent-adolescent warmth significantly predicted adolescent self-disclosure, which in turn predicted fewer discrepancies in parental knowledge. The findings from this study help in understanding the factors that contribute to parental knowledge discrepancies and highlight potential targets for family interventions.