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Multitrait-multimethod model of adolescent deviance, drug use, academic, and sexual behaviors

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Abstract

A multitrait-multimethod design was used to test Jessor and Jessor's (1977) problem behavior theory with a sample of adolescents, their parents, and peers. Behaviors included general deviance, drug use, low academic motivation, and precocious sexual behavior. While research has supported this theory, the reliance on self-report data for the majority of this work may threaten the validity of these findings. Results from hierarchical confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the convergent and discriminant validity of the seven behavior constructs was high and method effects were low. A two-factor second-order model, representing General Drug Use and Other Problem Behavior, accounted for a larger proportion of variance in the lower order factors compared to a single-factor model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oregon Research Institute, 1715 Franklin Boulevard, 97403, Eugene, Oregon

    Elizabeth A. Tildesley, Hyman Hops, Dennis Ary & Judy A. Andrews

Authors
  1. Elizabeth A. Tildesley
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  2. Hyman Hops
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  3. Dennis Ary
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  4. Judy A. Andrews
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Additional information

This research was supported by Grant DA 03706 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

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Tildesley, E.A., Hops, H., Ary, D. et al. Multitrait-multimethod model of adolescent deviance, drug use, academic, and sexual behaviors. J Psychopathol Behav Assess 17, 185–215 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02229018

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