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Adolescent problem behavior: The effect of peers and the moderating role of father absence and the mother‐child relationship
Author(s) -
Mason Craig A.,
Cauce Ana Mari,
Gonzales Nancy,
Hiraga Yumi
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1007/bf02521556
Subject(s) - moderation , psychology , health psychology , developmental psychology , social psychology , public health , medicine , nursing
Examined the effect of peer problem behavior, the absence of a father or equivalent in the home, and the mother‐adolescent relationship as predictors of adolescent problem behavior in a sample of 112 African American adolescents. Statistical analyses compared a moderator model to a mediational model and a cumulative risk model. As predicted, the moderator model was superior to the alternative models. Specifically, whereas the mediational model predicted that the effect of father absence and the mother‐child relationship upon adolescent problem behavior would be mediated by peer problem behavior, neither effected peer problem behavior or adolescent problem behavior. Similarly, a cumulative risk index did not predict either child or parent reports of problem behavior and was not sensitive to specific contingencies that existed between the predictor variables. In contrast, an interactive, moderator model described the data quite well. This model suggested that father or equivalent absence magnifies the negative impact of peer problem behavior, while a positive mother‐adolescent relationship attenuates this risk. A strong mother‐adolescent relationship also served to protect adolescents in father‐absent homes from the risk of peer problem behavior.