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Longitudinal Development of Family Decision Making: Defining Healthy Behavioral Autonomy for Middle‐Class African American Adolescents
Author(s) -
Smetana Judith G.,
CampioneBarr Nicole,
Daddis Christopher
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00749.x
Subject(s) - autonomy , psychology , middle class , developmental psychology , personal autonomy , social psychology , longitudinal study , adolescent development , medicine , political science , law , pathology
The development of decision‐making autonomy was examined in 76 middle‐class African American early adolescents ( M =13 years) and their mothers, who were followed longitudinally for 5 years. Adolescent decision‐making autonomy over conventional, prudential, multifaceted, and personal issues increased over time but at different rates. Mothers viewed prudential and conventional issues as parent decisions, but adolescents increasingly viewed them as joint. Adolescents viewed multifaceted and personal issues as increasingly decided by adolescents (with parental input), whereas mothers viewed them as joint. Greater autonomy over multifaceted issues in early adolescence was associated with poorer adjustment. Controlling for background variables and earlier adjustment, increased autonomy over personal and multifaceted issues predicted less depression and better self‐worth in late adolescence.