Terese Glatz

Adolescents’ Behaviors as Moderators for the Link between Parental Self-Efficacy and Parenting Practices

Based on theory that parents with higher levels of self-efficacy (PSE) should find it easier to parent effectively in the face of challenging child behaviors than should parents with lower levels of PSE, this study examines the link between PSE and parenting using children’s behaviors as potential moderators. Participants were 130 parents who had an older adolescent (Mage = 17.58) in addition to the target adolescent (Mage = 11.79), and both adolescents’ externalizing behaviors were used as moderators for the link between PSE and parenting of the target adolescent. Path analysis in Mplus showed that higher PSE was linked to more promotive parenting but only among parents who had an older adolescent with lower levels of externalizing behaviors. Among parents of adolescents with higher levels of externalizing behaviors, whose promotive parenting was significantly lower than other parents overall, PSE did not predict promotive parenting. The link between PSE and parenting did not differ depending on the target adolescents’ behavior. Findings suggest that the link between parents’ beliefs and parenting depends on the broader family context. More specifically, how PSE is linked to parenting practices depends at least partly on the experiences that parents bring from parenting an older adolescent to their interactions with a later-born adolescent. From a clinical perspective, parents might need guidance in how to think about their earlier parenting experiences when parenting a younger adolescent.

The role of family experiences for adolescents' readiness to use and participate in illegal political activity

This study used reactance theory as a starting point to explain what role a perceived undemocratic and controlling family has for adolescents’ readiness to use illegal political activity. Additionally, we examined whether adolescents’ readiness to use illegal political means was related to actual political behaviour, which has been lacking in research. Data came from a longitudinal sample of 424 younger (M age = 13.44) and 296 older (M age = 16.62) adolescents collected in a mid-sized city in Sweden. Results showed that adolescents who perceived their families as undemocratic and controlling increased in readiness to use illegal political means over time. In addition, but only for older adolescents, readiness was associated with an increase in actual political behaviour. The findings highlight the role a perceived family environment has on adolescents’ development of political values and behaviours in today’s democratic societies.

How do parents facilitate or inhibit adolescent disclosure? The role of adolescents’ psychological needs satisfaction

The aim of the study was to test whether the correlation between parental behaviors in the context of adolescent disclosure and adolescents’ self-reported disclosure could be explained by fulfillment of adolescents’ basic psychological needs within their relationships with mothers and fathers. The cross-sectional data were collected from a representative sample of 1,074 seventh graders in Croatia. Parental facilitating behaviors (initiating conversation, support and respectful guidance) and some of the inhibiting behaviors (unavailability, punishment) were shown to be indirectly associated with adolescents’ disclosure through the perceptions of their needs satisfaction. The assumption about the unique contribution of the need-for-relatedness satisfaction in mediating the link between parental behaviors and disclosure was consistently supported, whereas the specific contribution of the need-for-autonomy was apparent only in data about mothers, but not fathers. The results are equivalent for routine disclosure and self-disclosure, suggesting that the processes through which parents facilitate or inhibit both are rather comparable.

Internet-specific parental self-efficacy: Developmental differences and links to Internet-specific mediation

Abstract Most children spend significant time on the Internet every day, and parents have an important role in helping their children to avoid negative online experiences. In this study, we examine the potential role of Internet-specific parental self-efficacy (Internet-specific PSE) as an antecedent for Internet-specific parenting practices. A study of 1025 parents of children in grades 6 (approximately 11–12 years) to 12 (approximately 17–18 years) allowed us to examine the links among Internet-specific PSE, the childs grade in school, and Internet-specific parenting practices. The results showed developmental decreases in Internet-specific PSE and Internet-specific parenting practices: Parents of older adolescents felt less efficacious and used less control-based parenting practices than did parents of younger adolescents. Furthermore, Internet-specific PSE was a significant predictor of Internet-specific parenting practices (both communication-based and control-based practices). These results suggest the importance of both parental beliefs and childrens grade in school for parenting in the area of childrens online activities.