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Link Between Monitoring Behavior and Adolescent Adjustment: An Analysis of Direct and Indirect Effects

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Abstract

The purpose of the current investigation was to explore whether monitoring behavior (i.e., parental solicitation, child disclosure, and parental involvement) was directly and indirectly (via parental knowledge and parent–youth openness) related to adolescent adjustment (i.e., antisocial behavior, substance use, and school grades). The sample consisted of 206 families with adolescents (ages 10–18 years) from predominantly low-income, high-risk neighborhoods. Monitoring behavior (parent reports), parental knowledge and parent–youth openness (youth reports), and adolescent adjustment (parent and youth reports) were all based on questionnaire data collected during a laboratory assessment. Results showed that when the monitoring behavior factors were examined simultaneously, only child disclosure was significantly and inversely related to youth antisocial behavior. In contrast, only parental involvement was significantly associated with less substance use. Moreover, school grades were significantly and incrementally predicted by both child disclosure and parental involvement. Parental solicitation was not significantly related to any of the adolescent outcomes. The findings also demonstrated evidence of indirect effects (via parental knowledge) in the link between monitoring behavior and adolescent adjustment. Implications regarding the socialization process during adolescence are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the following grants: a United States Department of Agriculture, Oklahoma Agriculture Experiment Station Project grant (AB-1-13921) awarded to Michael Criss; an Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) Grant (AA-5-40772 and AA-5-45433; Project # HR11-130) awarded to Amanda Morris, Michael Criss, and Karina Shreffler; and a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (AA-5-43382, 1R15HD072463-01) R15 Grant awarded to Amanda Morris, Michael Criss, and Jennifer Silk. We also would like to thank the families for participating in the project and the research staff of Family Youth & Development Project for their hard work and dedication to the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Development and Family Science, 233 Human Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA

    Michael M. Criss & Tammy K. Lee

  2. Department of Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, 700 North Greenwood Avenue, Tulsa, OK, 74106, USA

    Amanda Sheffield Morris & Karina M. Shreffler

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George Street (4th Floor), Sidney Smith Hall, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada

    Lixian Cui

  4. Department of Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice, Rogers State University, 1701 W. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK, 74017, USA

    Cara D. Bosler

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Thomas Detre Hall, 3811 O’Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Jennifer S. Silk

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  1. Michael M. Criss
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Correspondence to Michael M. Criss.

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Criss, M.M., Lee, T.K., Morris, A.S. et al. Link Between Monitoring Behavior and Adolescent Adjustment: An Analysis of Direct and Indirect Effects. J Child Fam Stud 24, 668–678 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-013-9877-0

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