Parental Management of Adolescents’ Peer Relationships in Ghana and the United States

Abstract

A sample of Ghanaian (n = 119) and United States (US; n = 70) adolescents was used to examine parental management of peer relationships. Adolescents completed measures of consulting, guiding, parent-adolescent conflict about peers, and social behavior. Compared to US adolescents, Ghanaian adolescents reported higher levels of overt aggression and relational aggression. Ghanaian adolescents reported higher levels of conflict with parents about peers than US adolescents. Ghanaian boys reported the highest level of conflict with parents about peers, US boys reported the lowest level of conflict with parents about peers, and Ghanaian and US girls reported medium levels of conflict about peers. Girls reported higher levels of prosocial behavior than boys. Older adolescents reported higher levels of conflict with parents about peers, higher levels of overt aggression, and higher levels of relational aggression. Across nationality groups, higher levels of consulting were related to lower levels of overt aggression. Multiple regression analyses suggested that higher levels of conflict with parents about peer relationships was related to higher levels of overt aggression and relational aggression across nationality groups. A significant two-way interaction revealed that, for US adolescents, higher levels of consulting were related to higher levels of prosocial behavior. A significant three-way interaction suggested that guiding was not related to prosocial behavior regardless of level of conflict among Ghanaian adolescents. For US adolescents, higher levels of guiding at higher levels of conflict were associated with higher levels of prosocial behavior among US adolescents.