Top

Gepubliceerd in:

01-07-2007 | Original Paper

The Role of Peer Contacts in the Relationship Between Parental Knowledge and Adolescents' Externalizing Behaviors: A Latent Growth Curve Modeling Approach

Auteurs: Ellen Reitz, Peter Prinzie, Maja Deković, Kirsten L. Buist

Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence | Uitgave 5/2007

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the direct and indirect effects (through peer contacts) of parental knowledge on adolescents’ delinquent and aggressive problem behavior, using latent growth curve modeling. A sample of 457 13- to 14-year old adolescents at first measurement wave (M=13.27; SD=0.45 years) filled out questionnaires about their parents, peers, and problem behavior three times with 1-year intervals in between. Regarding initial levels of behavior, both direct and indirect effects of parental knowledge were found on aggressive as well as on delinquent behavior. When the rate of change in behaviors was considered, only direct effects were found for both types of problem behavior, whereas indirect effects were absent. Gender differences were also found, with stronger effects of parenting on both aggressive and delinquent problem behavior for boys and stronger effects of peer contacts on aggressive behavior for girls. The present study shows that different behaviors of the externalizing spectrum have different trajectories and diverse relations with parenting and should not be treated as identical.

vorige artikel The Tangled Web: Delinquency, Deception, and Parental Attachment

volgende artikel Violent Victimization, Aggression, and Parent-Adolescent Relations: Quality Parenting as a Buffer for Violently Victimized Youth

We investigated whether the growth models differed for 13- and 14-year-olds. The findings indicated no significant differences between the two age groups for any of the variables in the study. Given the smaller age range in our sample of 457 adolescents, the rather small standard deviation (0.45), and the fact that no significant differences were found within the sample, we decided to study the sample as a whole.

Although structural equation modeling has the advantage to model and remove measurement error in growth parameters, we decided to use scale scores instead of item-level data for the following reasons. The first-order latent growth models that we use in our study have also been used in a number of other studies to analyze change in for example substance use (Duncan and Duncan, 1994), deviant behavior (Willett and Sayer, 1994), and family functioning (Willett et al., 1991). A first-order growth model becomes a problem when variable X is a multiple measured variable (a composite of the same instrument administered to for example youth, parents, and teachers). Hancock et al. (2001) illustrate this in their article and show that a second-order factor structure than becomes more appropriate. A second reason is that our models with item-level data would lead to extremely complex models and the number of parameters estimated will exceed current recommendations for subject to parameter ratios.

Table 2

Fit indices for linear and nonlinear latent growth curve models of changes in problem behavior, parental knowledge, and peer contacts

	df	χ²	p	SRMR	NNFI	CFI
Individual growth models
Delinquent behavior—Linear ^a	3	0.361	.948	0.01	1.00	1.00
Delinquent behavior—Nonlinear	2	0.004	.998	0.00	1.00	1.00
Aggressive behavior—Linear	3	0.611	.894	0.01	1.00	1.00
Aggressive behavior—Nonlinear	2	0.492	.782	0.01	1.00	1.00
Knowledge—Linear	3	18.370	.000	0.03	0.97	0.97
Knowledge—Nonlinear	2	6.649	.036	0.04	0.98	0.99
Peer Contacts—Linear	3	13.243	.004	0.05	0.98	0.98
Peer Contacts—Nonlinear	2	13.105	.001	0.05	0.97	0.98
Growth models of direct and indirect effects on problem behavior ^b
a. Delinquent behavior—Knowledge	29	64.139	.000	0.04	0.97	0.98
b. Aggressive behavior—Knowledge	29	57.606	.001	0.04	0.98	0.98

^aBest-fitting models are italicized.

^bThe models a and b correspond with the models a and b in Fig. 1.

Table 3

Parameter estimates for latent growth curve models of problem behavior, parental knowledge, and peer contacts

	Delinquency	Aggression	Knowledge	Peer Contacts
Intercept: Mean	0.331^***	0.422^***	2.933^***	3.335^***
Variance	0.026^***	0.044^***	0.223^***	0.624^***
Slope: Mean	0.028^***	−0.031^***	−0.127^***	0.149^***
Variance	0.001	0.004^**	0.051^**	0.063^***
Covariance intercept—slope	−0.002	−0.003	−0.023	−0.073^***

^** p<.01; ^*** p<.001.

We investigated mediation effects by testing an unmediated model (a model with paths only from parental knowledge to problem behavior) and compared this model with a mediated model (where we also estimated paths from parental knowledge to peer contacts and from peer contacts to problem behavior). The mediated model provided a significantly better fit than the unmediated model (delinquent behavior: Δχ²=60.87, Δdf=4, p<.001; aggressive behavior: Δχ²=26.67, Δdf=4, p<.001). However, the path coefficients between parental knowledge and problem behavior remained approximately equal in both models.

We also tested the possibility that parental knowledge mediates the relationship between peer contact and problem behavior. It appeared that the fit indices of both models (the model where peer contact mediates the relationship between parental knowledge and problem behavior and the model where parental knowledge mediates the relationship between peer contact and problem behavior) were approximately the same. Path coefficients were also identical, except for the path between parental knowledge and contact with peers. The model in which peer contact mediated the relation between parental knowledge and problem behavior showed higher path coefficients (−.22 for delinquent behavior and −.24 for aggressive behavior) than the model in which parental knowledge mediated the relation between peer contacts and problem behavior (−.10 for both delinquent and aggressive behavior), suggesting higher effects of parental knowledge on peer contacts than vice versa.

Achenbach TM (1991) Manual for the Youth Self-Report and 1991 Profile. Burlington, University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry

Arbuckle JL (1996) Full information in the presence of imcomplete data. In: Marcoulides GA, Schumacker RE (eds) Advanced structural equation modeling: Issues and techniques. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ, pp 243–277

Aseltine RH (1995) A reconsideration of parental and peer influences on adolescent deviance. J Health Soc Behav 36:103–121PubMedCrossRef

Barnow S, Lucht M, Freyberger HJ (2005) Correlates of aggressive and delinquent conduct problems in adolescence. Aggressive Behav 31:24–39CrossRef

Benenson JF, Christakos A (2003) The greater fragility of females’ versus males’ closest same-sex friendships. Child Dev 74:1123–1129PubMedCrossRef

Berndt TJ (2002) Friendship quality and social development. Curr Dir Psychol Sci 11:7–10CrossRef

Berndt TJ, Keefe K (1995) Friends' influence on adolescents' adjustment to school. Child Dev 66:1312–1329PubMedCrossRef

Bongers IL, Koot HM, van der Ende J, Verhulst FC (2003) The normative development of child and adolescent problem behavior. J Abnorm Psychol 112:179–192PubMedCrossRef

Bray JH, Adams GJ, Getz JG, McQueen A (2003) Individuation, peers, and adolescent alcohol use: A latent growth analysis. J Consult Clin Psychol 71:553–564PubMedCrossRef

Brendgen M, Vitaro F, Bukowski WM (2000) Deviant friends and early adolescents' emotional and behavioral adjustments. J Res Adolesc 10:173–189CrossRef

Byrne BM, Crombie G (2003) Modeling and testing change: An introduction to the latent growth curve model. Understanding Stat 2:177–203CrossRef

Chen C, Greenberger E, Lester J, Dong Q, Guo MS (1998) A cross-cultural study of family and peer correlates of adolescent misconduct. Dev Psychol 34:770–781PubMedCrossRef

Deković M (1999) Risk and protective factors in the development of problem behavior during adolescence. J Youth Adolesc 28:667–685CrossRef

Deković M, Janssens JMAM, As van NMC (2003) Family predictors of antisocial behavior in adolescence. Fam Process 42:223–235PubMedCrossRef

Deković M, Wissink IB, Meijer AM (2004) The role of family and peer relations in adolescent antisocial behaviour: Comparison of four ethnic groups. J Adolesc 27:497–514PubMedCrossRef

Dishion TJ, Andrews DW, Crosby L (1995) Antisocial boys and their friends in early adolescence: Relationship characteristics, quality, and interactional process. Child Dev 66:139–151PubMedCrossRef

Dishion TJ, McMahon RJ (1998) Parental monitoring and the prevention of child and adolescent problem behavior: A conceptual and empirical formulation. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 1:61–75PubMedCrossRef

Dishion TJ, Nelson SE, Bullock BM (2004) Premature adolescent autonomy: Parent disengagement and deviant peer process in the amplification of problem behaviour. J Adolesc 27:515–530PubMedCrossRef

Duncan SC, Duncan TE (1994) Modeling imcomplete longitudinal substance use data using latent variable growth curve methodology. Multivariate Behav Res 29:313–338CrossRef

Duncan TE, Duncan SC, Strycker LA, Li F, Alpert A (1999) An introduction to latent variable growth curve modeling: Concepts, issues and applications. Erlbaum, Mahwah, NJ

Engels RCME, Deković M, Meeus W (2002) Parenting practices, social skills and peer relationships in adolescence. Soc Behav Pers 30:3–18CrossRef

Ennett ST, Bauman KE (1994) The contribution of influence and selection to adolescent peer group homogeneity: The case of adolescent cigarette smoking. J Pers Soc Psychol 67:653–663PubMedCrossRef

Field T, Lang C, Yando R, Bendell C (1995) Adolescents' intimacy with parents and friends. Adoles 30:133–140PubMed

Fletcher AC, Darling N, Steinberg L (1995) Parental monitoring and peer influences on adolescent substance use. In: McCord J (ed) Coercion and punishment in long-term perspectives. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, MA, pp 259–271

Frick PJ, Lahey BB, Loeber R, Tannenbaum LE, van Horn Y, Christ MAG, Hart EA, Hanson K (1993) Oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder: A meta-analytic review of factor analyses and cross-validation in a clinic sample. Clin Psychol Rev 13:319–340CrossRef

Gerris JRM, Boxtel DAAM, Vermulst AA, Janssens JMAM, Zuthpen RAH van, Felling AJA (1993) Parenting in Dutch families. University of Nijmegen, Institute of Family Studies, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Goldstein SE, Davis-Kean PE, Eccles JS (2005) Parents, peers, and problem behavior: A longitudinal investigation of the impact of relationship perceptions and characteristics on the development of adolescent problem behavior. Dev Psychol 41:401–413PubMedCrossRef

Gorman Smith D, Tolan PH, Zelli A, Huesmann LR (1996) The relation of family functioning to violence among inner-city minority youths. J Fam Psychol 10:115–129CrossRef

Hancock GR, Kuo WL, Lawrence FR (2001) An illustration of second-order latend growth models. Struct Equat Model 8:470–489CrossRef

Hirschi T (1969) Causes of delinquency. University of California Press, Berkeley

Hu L, Bentler PM (1999) Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Struct Equat Model 6:1–55

Jacobson KC, Crockett LJ (2000) Parental monitoring and adolescent adjustment: An ecological perspective. J Res Adolesc 10:65–97CrossRef

Johnson HD (2004) Gender, grade and relationship differences in emotional closeness within adolescent friendships. Adolescence 39:243–255PubMed

Jöreskog KG, Sörbom D (1993) LISREL 8: User's guide. Scientific Software, Chicago

Kandel D, Davies M (1982) Epidemiology of depressive mood in adolescents. Arch Gen Psychiatry 39:1205–1212PubMed

Kerr M, Stattin H (2000) What parents know, how they know it, and several forms of adolescent adjustment: Further support for a reinterpretation of monitoring. Dev Psychol 36:366–380PubMedCrossRef

Kiesner J, Cadinu M, Poulin F, Bucci M (2002) Group identification in early adolescence: Its relation with peer adjustment and its moderator effect on peer influence. Child Dev 73:196–208PubMedCrossRef

L'Abate L (1998) Discovery of the family: From the inside to the outside. Am J Fam Ther 26:265–280

Lahey BB, Waldman ID, McBurnett K (1999) The development of antisocial behavior: An integrative causal model. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 40:669–682PubMedCrossRef

Laird RD, Pettit GS, Bates JE, Dodge KA (2003) Parents’ monitoring-relevant knowledge and adolescents’ delinquent behavior: Evidence of correlated developmental changes and reciprocal influences. Child Dev 74:752–768PubMedCrossRef

Laird RD, Pettit GS, Dodge KA, Bates JE (1999) Best friendships, group relationships, and antisocial behavior in early adolescence. J Early Adolesc 19:413–437CrossRefPubMed

Lauritsen JL (1998) The age-crime debate: Assessing the limits of longitudinal self-report data. Soc Forces 77:127–155CrossRef

Loeber R, Green SM, Lahey BB, Frick PJ, McBurnett K (2000) Findings on disruptive behavior disorders from the first decade of the Developmental Trends Study. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 3:37–60PubMedCrossRef

Loeber R, Lahey B, Thomas C (1991) Diagnostic conundrum of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder. J Abnorm Psychol 100:379–390PubMedCrossRef

Loeber R, Wung P, Keenan K, Giroux B, Stouthamer-Loeber M, van Kammen WB, Maughan R (1993) Developmental pathways in disruptive child behavior. Dev Psychopathol 5:103–133CrossRef

Meredith W, Tisak J (1990) Latent curve analysis. Psychometrika 55:107–122CrossRef

Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Rutter M, Silva PA (2001) Sex differences in antisocial behaviour. Conduct disorder, delinquency, and violence in the Dunedin longitudinal study. University Press, Cambridge

Nagin D, Tremblay RE (1999) Trajectories of boys' physical aggression, opposition, and hyperactivity on the path to physically violent and nonviolent juvenile delinquency. Child Dev 70:1181–1196PubMedCrossRef

O'Donnell J, Hawkins JD, Abbott RD (1995) Predicting serious delinquency and substance use among aggressive boys. J Consult Clin Psychol 63:529–537PubMedCrossRef

Patterson GR (1982) Coercive family process. Castalia, Eugene, Oreg

Patterson GR, Reid J, Dishion TJ (1992) Antisocial boys. Castalia, Eugene, OR

Pettit GS, Laird RD, Dodge KA, Bates JE, Criss MM (2001) Antecedents and behavior-problem outcomes of parental monitoring and psychological control in early adolescence. Child Dev 72:583–598PubMedCrossRef

Piquero AR, Macintosh R, Hickman M (2002) The validity of a self-reported delinquency scale. Comparisons across gender, age, race, and place of residence. Sociol Methods Res 30:492–529CrossRef

Prinzie P, Onghena P, Hellinckx W (in press) A cohort-sequential multivariate latent growth curve analysis of normative CBCL aggressive and delinquent problem behavior: Associations with harsh discipline and gender. Int J Behav Dev

Prinzie P, Onghena P, Hellinckx W, Grietens H, Ghesquière P, Colpin H (2003) The additive and interactive effects of parenting and children's personality on externalizing behaviour. Eur J Pers 17:95–117CrossRef

Rigdon EE (1996) CFI versus RMSEA: A comparison of two fit indexes for structural equation modeling. Struct Equat Model 3:369–379CrossRef

Scaramella LV, Conger RD, Spoth R, Simons RL (2002) Evaluation of a social contextual model of delinquency: A cross-study replication. Child Dev 73(1):175–195PubMedCrossRef

Schafer JL, Graham JW (2002) Missing data: Our view of the state of the art. Psychol Methods 7:147–177PubMedCrossRef

Simons RL, Chao W, Conger RD, Elder GH (2001) Quality of parenting as me-diator of the effect of childhood defiance on adolescent friendship choices and delin-quency: A growth curve analysis. J Marriage Fam 63:63–79CrossRef

Smetana JG, Daddis C (2002) Domain-specific antecedents of parental psychological control and monitoring: The role of parenting beliefs and practices. Child Dev 73:563–580PubMedCrossRef

Stanger C, Achenbach TM, Verhulst FC (1997) Accelerated longitudinal comparisons of aggressive versus delinquent syndromes. Dev Psychopathol 9:43–58PubMedCrossRef

Stattin H, Kerr M (2000) Parental monitoring: A reinterpretation. Child Dev 71:1072–1085PubMedCrossRef

Steinberg L, Lamborn SD, Darling N, Mounts NS, Dornbusch SM (1994) Over-time changes in adjustment and competence among adolescents from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child Dev 65:754–770PubMedCrossRef

Stouthamer-Loeber M, Loeber R, Wei E, Farrington DP, Wikstrom POH (2002) Risk and promotive effects in the explanation of persistent serious delinquency in boys. J Consult Clin Psychol 70:111–123PubMedCrossRef

Svensson R (2003) Gender differences in adolescent drug use. The impact of parental monitoring and peer deviance. Youth Soc 34:300–329CrossRef

Urberg KA, Luo Q, Pilgrim C, Degirmencioglu SM (2003) A two-stage model of peer influence in adolescent substance use: Individual and relationship-specific differences in susceptibility to influence. Addict Behav 28:1243–1256PubMedCrossRef

Van Lier PAC, Vitaro F, Wanner B, Vuijk P, Crijnen AAM (2005) Gender differences in developmental links among antisocial behavior, friends' antisocial behavior, and peer rejection in childhood: Results from two cultures. Child Dev 76:841–855PubMedCrossRef

Verhulst FC, van der Ende J (1992) Agreement between parents' and adolescents' self-reports of problem behavior. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 33:1011–1023PubMedCrossRef

Verhulst FC, Van Der Ende J, Koot HM (1997) Handleiding voor de Youth Self-Report (YSR) [Manual for the Youth Self-Report (YSR): Dutch version] Rotterdam: Afdeling Kinder- en jeugdpsychiatry, Academisch Ziekenhuis/Erasmus Universiteit

Waizenhofer RN, Buchanan CN, Jackson-Newsom J (2004) Mothers’ and Fathers’ Knowledge of Adolescents’ Daily Activities: Its Sources and Its Links With Adolescent Adjustment. J Fam Psychol 18:348–360PubMedCrossRef

Weaver SR, Prelow HM (2005) A mediated-moderation model of maternal parenting style, association with deviant peers, and problem behaviors in urban African American and European American adolescents. J Child Fam Stud 13:343–356CrossRef

Werner NE, Silbereisen RK (2003) Family relationship quality and contact with deviant peers as predictors of adolescent problem behaviors: The moderating role of gender. J Adolesc Res 18:454–480CrossRef

Willett JB, Sayer AG (1994) Using covariance structure analysis to detect correlates and predictors of individual change over time. Psychol Bull 116:363–381CrossRef

Willett JB, Ayoub CC, Robinson D (1991) Using growth modeling to examine systematic differences in growth: An example of change in the functioning of families at risk of maladaptive parenting, child abuse, or neglect. J Consult Clin Psychol 59:38–47PubMedCrossRef

Youngstrom E, Loeber R, Stouthamer-Loeber M (2000) Patterns and correlates of agreement between parent, teacher, and male adolescent ratings of externalizing and internalizing problems. J Consult Clin Psychol 68:1038–1050PubMedCrossRef

Titel: The Role of Peer Contacts in the Relationship Between Parental Knowledge and Adolescents' Externalizing Behaviors: A Latent Growth Curve Modeling Approach
Auteurs: Ellen Reitz
Peter Prinzie
Maja Deković
Kirsten L. Buist
Publicatiedatum: 01-07-2007
Uitgeverij: Kluwer Academic Publishers-Plenum Publishers
Gepubliceerd in: Journal of Youth and Adolescence / Uitgave 5/2007
Print ISSN: 0047-2891
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-6601
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9150-6

Bohn Stafleu van Loghum

Deel dit onderdeel of sectie (kopieer de link)

Abstract

Log in om toegang te krijgen

Andere artikelen Uitgave 5/2007

The Relative Importance of Mothers’ and Youths’ Neighborhood Perceptions for Youth Alcohol Use and Delinquency

Adolescents’ time use: Effects on substance use, delinquency and sexual activity

Athletic Involvement and Adolescent Delinquency

Violent Victimization, Aggression, and Parent-Adolescent Relations: Quality Parenting as a Buffer for Violently Victimized Youth

Compounded Risk: The Implications for Delinquency of Coming from a Poor Family that Lives in a Poor Community

Parenting and Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Moroccan Immigrant Youth in the Netherlands