Puberty Moderates Effects of the Parent-Child Relationship on Adolescent Delinquency

1. Puberty Moderates Effects of the Parent-Child Relationship on Adolescent DelinquencyMeredith A. Henry, M.S. & Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D.University of Alabama at Birmingham

2. Puberty Moderates Effects of the Parent-Child Relationship on Adolescent Delinquency • Agenda Slide • • Rationale • Participants • • Methods • • Results • • Discussion • Conclusion

3. Rationale • Early timing and faster tempo of pubertal development are risk factors for internalizing and externalizing problems (Marceau et al., 2011). • Parent-Child (P-C) relationship quality also plays a role (Gaertner, Fite, & Colder, 2010). • Warmth/nuturance, respect for autonomy, and other positive strategies linked with better psychosocial health (Bayer et al, 2006).

4. Rationale • Early pubertal timing increases susceptibility to negative environmental influences, including poor parenting. • Harsh/inconsistent discipline related to increased externalizing in early maturers (Ge et al, 2002). • Previous studies rely on child- and parent- reports or parenting quality. • No studies have investigated the role of pubertal tempo as a moderator of environmental influences on adolescent development.

5. NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development Data analyzed from Phase III and IV, collected from 2nd grade through age 15. 951 children 50% female 80% Caucaisan 13% African American 7% Other Participants

6. Parent-Child relationship: Performed discussion task and planning activity with mother at age 11 (Egeland & Hiester, 1993). Observers coded videotapes from 1 (“very low”) to 7 (“very high”) on 7 factors related to P-C relationship. We chose to analyze 4: Mother’s respect for child autonomy Mother’s supportive presence Mother’s quality of assistance Affective mutuality/felt security Measures

7. Delinquent behaviors: Total score from 11 items of YSR How well does this behavior describe you in the last 6 months? 0 “not at all,” 1 “Somewhat/Sometimes True”, 2 “Very True/Often True” Range of scores from 0-22. Higher scores indicate more delinquent behaviors. Measures

8. Pubertal development: Children’s development through 5 Tanner stages of pubic hair and breast/penis & scrotum development assessed by trained nurses annually from ages 9-15. Pubertal timing & tempo estimated from logistic growth curves of progression trhough stages over time (Marceau et al., 2011). Timing: predicted age child will reach Stage 3. Tempo: speed an individual progresses from Stage 1 to Stage 5 (stages completed per year) Measures

9. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses in SPSS Separate analysis for each parenting factor Dependent Variable: Child report of delinquent behaviors at age 15 Step 1: Mother report of delinquency at Grade 5, SES, Ethnicity, Gender, Timing, Rate, Parenting Factor Step 2: Time*Parenting Factor, Rate*Parenting Factor Significant interactions followed up with simple slope analyses Data analysis

10. On average, adolescents reached Tanner Stage 3 at age 12.43 (SD = .93). Most adolescents completed 1.06 stages each year (SD = .19). Positive P-C relationship factors rated highly (M = 4.28-5.16) and had sufficient variability (SD = .90-1.21). The overall sample showed a low level of delinquent behaviors (M = 2.97, SD = 2.51). Results

11. Parenting factors were positively related to one another (r=.21 to .78, p<.01). Early pubertal timing was related to slower pubertal tempo (r=.15, p<.05). Results

12. No significant interactions found between pubertal timing and parenting factors. However, pubertal tempo did interact with 2 of 4 parenting factors in predicting delinquent behaviors. Maternal respect for autonomy (β = 1.112, p<.05) Quality of maternal assistance (β = .937, p<.05) Results

13. Results • Respect for autonomy predicted fewer delinquent behaviors only for those with a slow pubertal tempo. β = -.054 β = -.450 **

14. Results • Quality of assistance predicted fewer delinquent behaviors only for those with a slow pubertal tempo. β = .056 β = -.267*

15. Positive P-C relationship factors appear to be more protective against delinquent behaviors for slower maturers. Early maturers more influenced by peers than slower maturing counterparts (Ferguson et al, 2007; Felson & Haynie, 2002). So, protective effects of P-C relationship may be more prominent in slower maturing adolescents. Discussion

16. This study used objective assessment of P-C relationship factors. Possible child’s perception of the relationship is more critical than objective reality? Limited snapshot of P-C interaction Relationship changes throughout puberty and adolescence (Laursen, Coy, & Collins, 1998). Discussion

17. Objective positive qualities of the parent-child relationship at age 11 predict fewer delinquent behaviors for adolescents with a slow pubertal tempo. Future research should consider the role of pubertal tempo, in addition to pubertal timing, in both parental and peer influences on adolescent adjustment. Conclusions

18. Meredith A. HenryUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamEmail: mahenry@uab.eduPhone: (205) 612-5560