Is Adolescent Risk Behavior Associated With Cross-Household Family Complexity? An Analysis of Post-separation Families in 42 Countries.

Sebastian Schnettler,Anja Steinbach

doi:10.3389/fsoc.2022.802590

Abstract

We examine whether complex cross-household structures of post-separation families are associated with higher risk-taking behavior in adolescence (substance use, bullying, early sexual onset) and whether the proportion, and thus statistical normality, of complex family types in a certain country is a potential moderator of this association. Drawing on representative data from 42 countries and regions from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in 2001, 2006, and 2010 (N = 506,977), we provide detailed analyses on adolescent risk behavior even for very rare family types, thereby accounting for the complex cross-household structure present in many post-separation families. We combine logistic and count regression models to analyze risk incidence and intensity. Controlling for relevant child and family characteristics, our results reveal a gradient along which adolescent risk-taking increases with family complexity: The incidence and intensity of risk-taking among adolescents is lowest in two-biological-parent and highest in two-household families with stepparents in both households. The association decreases with a higher proportion of the respective family type in a country. However, the differences between family types, other than the two-biological parent family, are not as pronounced as expected.

Highlights

Risk behavior among adolescents is associated with reduced mental wellbeing, physical health, and academic achievement that can persist well into adulthood (e.g., Hurrelmann and Richter, 2006)
For our final model,4 which is specified as a negative binomial (NB) count model to account for overdispersion, the association of family type and adolescent risk behavior is best illustrated by plotting the average marginal effects (AME) (Figure 3): These roughly increase with higher family complexity where complexity implies one or more of the following characteristics besides the fact that the biological parents don’t live together in home 1: a second household exists and/or step- and biological parents co-reside in either one or two households
The coefficients for the final model show the same pattern as the margins plot: the expected log counts roughly increase with family complexity

Summary

Introduction

Risk behavior among adolescents is associated with reduced mental wellbeing, physical health, and academic achievement that can persist well into adulthood (e.g., Hurrelmann and Richter, 2006). One factor that has been repeatedly found to be significantly associated with risk behavior is family disruption and related family transitions (McArdle et al, 2002; Bjarnason et al, 2003; Griesbach et al, 2003; Barrett and Turner, 2006; Brown and Rinelli, 2010; Fomby and Sennott, 2013; Rüütel et al, 2014). Previous research reveals an increased prevalence of risk behavior in single parent. Risk Behavior in Complex Families and stepfamilies in comparison to adolescents who are growing up in two-parent-biological families, even after controlling for several other relevant factors (Griesbach et al, 2003) and when studied longitudinally, comparing the same individuals as they transition into a stepfamily (Kirby, 2006). The association depends heavily on parental involvement (Menning, 2006) and the quality of the parent-child relation (McArdle et al, 2002; Barfield-Cottledge, 2015), as these can buffer against the adverse effects of family disruption (Booth et al, 2010; Van Ryzin et al, 2012). Father involvement proved to be a protective factor for risky sexual behavior (Jordahl and Lohman, 2009)

Methods

Results

Conclusion