Parents Of Adolescents Research Articles

Building capacity for inclusive informal STEM learning opportunities for autistic learners

BackgroundResearch is needed to better understand the specific challenges for autistic learners in informal STEM learning settings. This study aimed to increase inclusion in STEM museums, with a larger goal of increasing the impact (i.e., learning and application of knowledge during and after visits) of informal STEM learning settings for autistic youth. We conducted an online parent attitudes survey with 93 parents of autistic adolescents and 53 parents of adolescents in the general population to better understand the experiences of autistic adolescents when visiting STEM-related museums. Parent responses informed professional development training for museum staff at four partner museums, which taught strategies to better support autistic learners. Then, autistic adolescents (n = 20) and their parents were randomly assigned to visit one partner and one control museum. They were asked to report their experiences through an online survey and semi-structured interviews.ResultsParticipants who completed the parent attitudes survey indicated significantly lower inclusion, engagement, and general impact of STEM museum visits among autistic adolescents compared to the general population comparison group. Parents of adolescents who visited partner and control museums reported higher STEM impact during visits to partner museums; however, parent-reported inclusion, engagement, and general impact did not differ significantly between partner and control museums. Qualitative analysis identified four themes (Spectrum of Museum Impact; Adolescent-Environment Fit; Barriers to Engagement, and Barrier Breakers), providing context for quantitative findings.ConclusionsFindings underscore the need for increased inclusion for autistic individuals in informal STEM learning environments like museums. This project demonstrated feasibility of professional development training of forward-facing staff and identified several themes that should inform future efforts to improve inclusion in informal STEM learning settings.

The MINT Program: A Mixed-Method Approach to Identifying Nature-Based Resources to Promote Adolescent Parent Social and Psychological Well-Being.

Adolescent parents are at an increased risk for loneliness and mental health challenges compared to childless peers. Nature-based interventions are shown to promote social connectedness. To identify elements of a nature-based intervention to reduce loneliness and foster nature connection among pregnant and parenting adolescents. Sequential exploratory mixed methods. In 2020 and 2021, we piloted the 8-week MINT program at a school for pregnant and parenting teens. Our qualitative approach (n = 17) included online and in-person group meetings with nature-based educational content, discussion, park excursions, mindfulness activities, journaling and nature photography. Subsequently, we recruited 131 young mothers at a children's hospital for a cross-sectional survey based on qualitative school findings. Qualitative results from the school-based intervention showed a preference for meditative and contemplative activities and for spending time in nature with extended family. Participants typically accessed nature close to home. Our clinic-based teen parent survey illustrated that participants' access to nature were most limited by lack of time (25% of responses), company (18%) and energy (28%). While participants showed a close nature connection (mean NR-6 score = 3.9 (SD = 0.84)), they also showed moderate levels of loneliness (mean UCLA Loneliness score = 4.78 (SD = 1.60)). Walking, hiking and/or running were the most preferred nature activity. These findings provide key details to define nature-based activities to address loneliness and psychological well-being among teen mothers. Nature-based health interventions can address loneliness and nature disconnection by building community resilience, improving provider and patient well-being and motivating environmental stewardship. We identify key features of a nature-based intervention for adolescent mothers. These findings support teen mothers in the US and abroad and may serve as a foundation for using nature-based solutions for vulnerable mothers and for adolescents facing loneliness and mental health challenges. No patient or public contribution.

Attitudes, healthcare interactions, and communication preferences for HPV vaccines among hesitant Hispanic/Latinx parents: how does this compare with influenza and COVID-19 vaccines?

ABSTRACT Objective We explored HPV vaccine concerns and healthcare provider communication among Hispanic/Latinx hesitant parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how those concerns and provider communications compared for influenza and COVID-19 vaccines. As a secondary aim, we explored communication needs and strategies for these recommended vaccines. Design We applied a concurrent, multi-method study design (survey and interview) with 23 Hispanic/Latinx American parents of adolescents aged 11–18 years. An inductive deductive thematic approach was used to interpret interview data. Descriptives were used to analyze survey data. Results Overall, most parents (77%) perceived that their child was receiving too many vaccines. Regarding hesitancy for the HPV vaccine, major parental concerns related to vaccine effectiveness (83%), vaccine necessity (83%), and vaccine safety (80%). For the COVID vaccine, major concerns were the newness of vaccine (83%), vaccine safety (77%), low perceived effectiveness (77%), and low perceived need (77%). For influenza vaccines, major parental concerns were vaccine safety (73%), low perceived need (73%), and preference for natural over vaccine-induced immunity (73%). Parents had overall positive views towards vaccination. Some parents prioritized school-required vaccines, and others ranked the recommended vaccines- HPV, COVID-19, and influenza vaccines- for their children. They saw the benefits of recommended vaccines; however, there were concerns. The majority received a provider’s recommendation for HPV vaccination for their child, while over half had not received a recommendation for COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Recommended communication strategies were diverse with parents highlighting the need for providers to capitalize on waiting and clinic rooms to provide education. Conclusion Healthcare providers should take advantage of missed opportunities, improve healthcare interactions with a strong recommendation and persistent communication, and offer diverse communication strategies and messaging for vaccines. Future work should further explore multi-vaccine concerns and how addressing these concerns through healthcare-provider communication could improve HPV vaccination along with COVID-19 and influenza vaccination.

What Outcomes Matter Most to Paediatric Burn Patients and Their Caregivers: A Comparison of Short-Term and Long-Term Priorities

Identifying outcomes that matter most is key in driving specialized paediatric burn care. The aim of this study was to discover the most important outcomes for paediatric burns. Parents of children (0–3 year and 4–11 years old) and adolescents (12–17 yearss old) completed surveys to identify outcomes that matter most in the short-term (<6 months postburn) and long-term (6–24 months postburn). The percentage of patients scoring an outcome as ‘very important’ was used to rank the outcomes. Fifty-four parents/adolescents participated (response rate: 27%). Children had a median TBSA burned of 5.0% (IQR: 2.0–7.0%). In the short-term, ‘good wound healing’ and ‘no wound infection’ (both at 71.4–100%) were very important for all children. ‘Not having pain’ (90.3–93.8%) was ranked highest for children ≤11 years old, whereas ‘walking or moving around’ (85.7%) was most important for older children. In the long-term, more variation was seen in outcome priorities; however, both ‘not having pain’ (53.6–85.7%) and ‘flexibility of scar(s)’ (60.7–71.4%) were considered very important by all three groups. Patient- and parent-derived priorities are important for developing consumer-centric, highest-value care pathways. The priority of the outcomes identified is a starting point to discuss treatment options and recovery priorities in a family-centric approach to guide high-value, individualized care.

Maternal and paternal harsh parenting and anxiety symptoms in Chinese adolescents: examining a multiple mediation model

BackgroundHarsh parenting has been recognized as a risk factor for adolescent anxiety; however, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship remain unclear, and it is unknown whether this relationship is influenced by different parental roles and living arrangements. This study aimed to investigate the mediating mechanisms between harsh parenting and adolescent anxiety symptoms using a multiple mediation model and to further compare specific roles of harsh parenting and distinguish between the living arrangements.MethodsA total of 3505 adolescents completed this survey, and 3295 adolescents (54.7% girls, Mage = 14.97 years) were included in the study. Participants completed self-assessments measuring harsh parenting, self-efficacy, school connectedness, Internet addiction, sleep problems, and anxiety. They were categorized into three groups based on living arrangements: living with both parents, only with the mother, or only with the father.ResultsCorrelational analyses revealed that both maternal and paternal harsh parenting were associated with increased anxiety symptoms. Structural equation modeling (SEM) mediation analyses and multigroup analyses showed that the independent mediating effects of school connectedness, Internet addiction, and sleep problems, as well as the sequential mediating pathways involving self-efficacy → school connectedness, self-efficacy → Internet addiction, and self-efficacy → sleep problems, vary across the adolescents’ living arrangements in the association between maternal and paternal harsh parenting and adolescent anxiety symptoms.ConclusionsThis study elucidated the mechanisms linking harsh parenting to adolescent anxiety symptoms and validated the effects of different parental roles and living arrangements. The findings provide important insights for developing targeted interventions to address anxiety symptoms in adolescents exposed to harsh parenting.

Self Efficacy as a Mediator between Positive Parenting and Academic Resilience in Adolescents

Academic resilience has emerged as a problem in education and mental health among society, especially among teenagers. Positive parenting and self-efficacy are supporting factors that help adolescents develop academic resilience. This research aims to prove the influence of self-efficacy as a mediator between positive parenting and academic resilience in adolescents. This study employed a quantitative research design, specifically an ex-post facto, with a sample size of 302 adolescents. The sample for this research was determined using an accidental sampling technique. Data collection for this research involved the use of the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS), positive parenting scale, and self-efficacy scale. The validity test employed factor loading results, while the reliability test utilized Cronbach's Alpha. The reliability coefficient values for the academic resilience scale, positive parenting scale, and self-efficacy scale are 0.911, 0.897, and 0.879, respectively. The data analysis utilized various techniques of multiple regression analysis. The findings of this study suggest that favourable parenting characteristics have a moderating effect on academic resilience. The impact of favourable parenting factors on academic resilience, initially at 27.1%, increases to 30.5% when the self-efficacy variable is considered.

The Effect of Authoritative Parenting and Self-Esteem on Prosocial Behavior in Adolescents in Palopo City

This research is motivated by the phenomenon of low prosocial behavior among high school teenagers in Palopo City. Authoritative parenting by parents and self-esteem are supporting factors for adolescents to increase prosocial behavior. Therefore, this study aims to prove the influence of authoritative parenting and self-esteem on prosocial behavior in high school teenagers in Palopo City. This research employed quantitative research with an ex-post facto type of research with a sample of 335 teenagers. The data collection technique used an accidental sampling technique with research instruments in the form of psychological scales, namely the prosocial behavior scale, authoritative parenting scale, and self-esteem scale. The validity test used the results of factor loading, and the reliability test used Cronbach's Alpha, with a reliability coefficient value for the prosocial behavior scale = 0.910, the self- esteem parenting scale = 0.885, and the self-esteem scale = 0.890. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis techniques. The study's results show that authoritative parenting and self-esteem influence prosocial behavior in adolescents (p=0.000). Therefore, it can be concluded that authoritative research and self-esteem influence prosocial behavior in adolescents. The regression line equation is 14.204 + 0.326 X1 + 0.539 X2. The effective contribution of authoritative parenting and self-esteem to prosocial behavior was 44.8%, consisting of authoritative parenting at 17.2% and self-esteem at 27.6%.

Cascading Effects of the Family Context in Adolescence: Implications for Young Adult Antisocial Behavior and Intergenerational Transmission of Risk.

Inspired by the tremendous impact of Robert McMahon's career, this study evaluated an intergenerational cascade model in which young adult conduct problems may serve as a risk pathway linking generation 1 (G1) parenting and family climate in adolescence with generation 2 parenting quality and family climate with their children (G2-G3). Our sample included 396 parents (Mage = 28.3; 70% women; child Mage = 3.96, 48% girls) who have participated in the PROSPER study since they were in 6th grade. Our developmental model included a random intercept cross-lagged panel model assessing bidirectional relations between family climate and effective discipline, assessed over six measurement occasions from 6th through 10th grade (G1). In turn, random intercepts for family climate and effective discipline in adolescence predicted distal outcomes: young adult antisocial behavior (assessed at ages 20, 23, and 25) and G2-G3 parenting quality (warm, lax, harsh, and abusive parenting) and family-level (cohesion, conflict, routines) functioning. Cross-lagged analyses revealed a bidirectional relation between G1 family processes: in early adolescence, higher levels of a positive family climate were associated with increases in effective discipline; in middle adolescence, the direction of effects reversed, with effective discipline predicting increases in positive family climate. In terms of cascading effects, a more positive G1 family climate was associated with reduced risk for young adult antisocial behavior, but no effect was evident for G1 effective discipline. Antisocial behavior was linked with all three aspects of G2-G3 family climate and with lower levels of parental warmth. Direct, domain-specific intergenerational links were found for G1 family climate with G2-G3 family-level functioning and G1 effective discipline with more effective G2-G3 parenting.

The effects of neighborhood perceptions on response to a technology-assisted parenting intervention for adolescent substance use: protocol of a diversity supplement to parent SMART (Substance Misuse in Adolescents in Residential Treatment)

BackgroundIt is well established that an adolescent’s neighborhood is associated with their likelihood of developing a substance use disorder. The availability of drugs, lack of access to resources, and exposure to violence are all associated with greater substance use among young people, leading to more pronounced health inequities. Technology assisted interventions (TAIs) have been touted to enhance the reach of substance use treatment and improve outcomes for high-need families living in underserved neighborhoods. A key question is whether neighborhood characteristics impact the effectiveness of TAIs, given these interventions are embedded within an adolescent’s natural environment. This National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded Diversity Supplement will examine the role of perceived neighborhood characteristics on response to Parent SMART, a TAI for parents of adolescents in residential substance use treatment (R37DA052918; PI: Becker). Aim 1 will use both adolescent and parent self-report of multiple neighborhood dimensions (e.g., physical environment, social disorder, satisfaction with community resources) to identify indicators predictive of treatment response. Aim 2 will then explore the indirect relationship between neighborhood context and response to Parent SMART, via engagement.MethodsParticipants include adolescent and parent dyads enrolled in an effectiveness trial evaluating Parent SMART, a TAI for parents of adolescents in residential substance youth treatment. Participants will complete self-report measures of neighborhood physical environment, social disorder, and satisfaction with community resources at baseline to predict parenting and youth substance outcomes at 6-, 12-, and 24-weeks post discharge.DiscussionTo date, few studies have explicitly tested how neighborhood affects response to TAIs for adolescent substance use. Assessing adolescent and parent perceptions of neighborhood characteristics holds potential to pinpoint key contextual factors that affect TAI response and to promote consideration of multi-level health equity determinants in substance use research. Understanding neighborhood influences can advance public health by helping tailor TAIs to address the unique needs of adolescents living in underserved communities.Trial registrationThis study extends the measurement and analysis plan of a pragmatic effectiveness trial. The pragmatic effectiveness trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05169385; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05169385

Parent work offered by child psychoanalytic psychotherapists: a literature review

ABSTRACT Born out of the traditional model of psychoanalysis for adults, child psychoanalytic psychotherapists initially focused primarily on their young patients’ inner world. Cultural, economic, and theoretical changes have, however, led child psychotherapists to re-evaluate the importance of the environment, and particularly the role of parents, in the lives of children and young people. In contemporary clinical practice, child psychotherapists often include work with parents when addressing mental health difficulties in children and adolescents. However, no clear theoretical and clinical framework exists for working with parents in psychoanalytic child psychotherapy. This paper provides an overview of the various ways child psychoanalytic psychotherapists engage with parents, as well as a discussion of the commonalities and divergences in different psychoanalytic approaches to parent work. The aim of the paper is to synthesise current literature and to clarify this area of work. This is a narrative review of the literature on the types of engagement and models of work with parents of children and adolescents currently offered by child psychoanalytic psychotherapists. The literature reflects the absence of one accepted formulation and practice in parent work. Despite the growing literature, the lack of cross-referencing and shared language using existing and new psychoanalytic ideas perpetuates the field’s fragmentation. In the current cultural and economic context, where other modalities thrive on evidence-based data, the survival of child psychoanalytic psychotherapy in public mental health provision is uncertain. An integrated formulation is needed both to help therapists in their work with parents and allow the evaluation of work with families.

The Association Between Mental Health Literacy of Parents and Referral of Children and Adolescents to Mental Health Service Centers

Background: Mental health literacy refers to an individual’s knowledge and beliefs about mental health, which can aid in the detection, management, and prevention of mental illnesses. Prompt diagnosis of mental disorders is crucial for timely intervention and treatment. This study aims to investigate the mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviors of parents with children and adolescents under the age of 18. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, a cross-sectional design was utilized, and a surveying method was employed. A total of 134 parents of children and adolescents under 18, who were referred to the mental health service centers at Iran University of Medical Sciences and private psychiatric clinics in 2019 and 2020, participated in the study through convenient sampling. Two psychiatrists evaluated the psychiatric disorders of the children, and the parents completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: The results of the one-way analysis of variance indicated that the total score of mental health literacy significantly differed among groups with varying levels of maternal education (p=0.001). Conclusion: This study underscores the impact of maternal education on mental health literacy among parents. Notably, parents with higher levels of education exhibited greater mental health literacy. It is essential to consider these findings in developing targeted interventions to improve mental health literacy among parents from diverse educational backgrounds. Further research should explore effective strategies for increasing awareness and knowledge about mental health in communities with varying levels of education.

Message framing's limited efficacy in counteracting parental hesitancy towards human papillomavirus vaccination for female adolescents: Insights from a randomized trial.

Parental acceptance of HPV vaccination remains low. This study investigates the influence of different message framing on Chinese parental intentions to vaccinate their daughters against HPV. A 2 (appeal framing: gain vs. loss) × 2 (cultural value: individualism vs. collectivism) × 2 (evidence type: narrative vs. non-narrative) factorial design was used in an online experiment. Parents of unvaccinated junior high school girls were recruited and included in the experiment. The primary outcome assessed was the reduction in HPV vaccine hesitancy (VH). The analysis of variance tests (ANOVAs) and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Of 4012 participants, the majority were women with low VH. Only loss-framing exerted a direct effect on advocacy (p = .036). Initial VH negatively moderated this effect (p = .027). Except for narrative evidence (p = .068), message framings showed significant small effects in low-hesitant participants (p = .032). An incentive policy negatively moderated the initial VH's effect on advocacy (p = .042). Persuasion was evident only among low-hesitant participants not receiving incentives (p = .002). In contrast, for highly hesitant individuals without incentive policies, loss-framing (p = .024) and collectivism perspective (p = .033) produced counterintuitive effects. Message framing is effective among low-hesitant parents of female adolescents in improving HPV vaccination decisions without economic incentives. Non-narrative evidence and loss-framing messages should be prioritized over narrative evidence and gain-framing messages. Nonetheless, caution is warranted when engaging with highly hesitant parents.

“To Show That There Is Hope”: A Mixed Methods Exploration of Parent Perspectives About an Online, Co-Facilitated Parenting Program for Carers of Adolescents with Disability

Adolescence is a developmental period of significant change and increasing independence, during which parents and caregivers play a critical role guiding their teen toward adulthood. Parents of adolescents with disability face heightened challenges managing their teens’ growing independence and shift to adult-based services across health, recreation, and employment. Using a mixed-methods-treatment-group-only design, this study explored the implementation and outcomes of a program designed to build parenting capacity to support their adolescent with disability. Parents enrolled in one of ten groups were invited to attend three sessions covering content tailored to adolescent development including post-school opportunities, financial support, risk-taking and decision-making, future planning, relationships, and mental health. Surveys were administered pre-program, post-program, and six months after program participation (n = 160) to measure intervention outcomes including parenting self-efficacy, self-advocacy, adolescent self-advocacy, parent confidence to support their adolescent’s growing independence, confidence to support their adolescent through sensitive developmental stages, parental hopes and aspirations, and parental empowerment. A subset of parents (n = 11) also participated in semi-structured interviews about the program’s acceptability and usefulness, and their satisfaction with the program content and delivery. All outcome variables except parent hopes and aspirations increased significantly from pre- to post-program. Parent self-efficacy, self-advocacy, and parental empowerment remained higher 6 months after program completion. Thematic analysis identified program strengths as the co-facilitation model of program delivery, practical and actionable content, the use of narratives and the facilitator’s lived experience as parents of adolescents with disability, the use of visualizations (video, pictures, diagrams), and the service provider’s trusted reputation and credibility. In conclusion, an online co-facilitated group program for parents of adolescents with disability can contribute to positive change for families by improving parent confidence, self-advocacy, and parental empowerment.

Maternal/paternal helicopter parenting and school adjustment in adolescents: The mediating roles of internal and external academic locus of control

There is little evidence regarding the impact of helicopter parenting (HP) on adolescents’ school adjustment (SA). This study examined gender differences in maternal/paternal HP, internal/external academic locus of control (ALC) and SA, and the mediating effect of internal/external ALC in the relationship between maternal/paternal HP and SA in adolescents. The participants of the study were 447 adolescents. The results revealed no significant gender differences in study variables except for external ALC. Adolescent boys indicated significantly higher levels of external ALC than girls. HP predicted ALC and SA, and internal/external ALC had a mediating role in the relationship between HP and SA. This study provides important insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to understand the effects of maternal/paternal HP on adolescent SA. The results of our study suggest that HP may be associated with lower SA among adolescents and that internal ALC may be a key mechanism in this relationship.

How Family Communication Emerges in HPV Vaccine Parent Narratives

ABSTRACT Family communication surrounding HPV vaccination can support or hinder HPV cancer prevention strategies. We used narrative communication theory to elicit HPV vaccine decision narratives in the context of family communication from a purposive sample of 29 parents of adolescents. Parent narratives indicated that family negotiations occur throughout the decision-making process, topic avoidance was common among parents of unvaccinated and undervaccinated children, parents had concerns that vaccination is a sign of approving sexual permissiveness, and family communication was often prompted by encounters in the exam room. Understanding complex family dynamics in the context of vaccination decision-making, the role of family communication (or lack thereof) in decisions, and effective negotiation and communication strategies can inform messaging tactics aimed at addressing disagreements in families and indicate how vaccinating may align rather than conflict with family values.

Abstract B027: Adapting communication resources for clinic staff in a multisite FQHC to improve HPV vaccination encounters with Spanish-speaking parents of adolescents

Abstract Introduction: Adopting evidenced-based strategies (EBS) targeting clinic staff in safety-net settings can improve adolescent HPV vaccination rates. Still, adaptations of EBS are needed to reach racial/ethnic minority patients and families effectively. As part of a larger implementation study on HPV vaccination, we examined and addressed adaptation needs for HPV vaccine communication resources to support clinic staff serving Hispanic adolescent FQHC patients. Methods: In October 2022-January 2023, we partnered with a large multi-site FQHC in Los Angeles, CA to deliver two clinic staff trainings designed to i) improve HPV knowledge and communication strategies; and ii) discuss HPV vaccine workflow. Informed by the Practice Change Model, we completed baseline qualitative interviews with clinic team members (providers, clinic staff, and leadership) and provider and clinic staff surveys to inform the development, implementation, and adaptation of clinic staff training on HPV vaccine knowledge and communication strategies. We then conducted site visits and key-informant interviews with clinic staff immediately post-training. Notes from site visits and key-informant interviews were transcribed to identify potential barriers to adoption and opportunities for adaptation. Results: Baseline data indicated 95% of clinic staff identified as Hispanic and 94% reported speaking a language other than English. Notes from site visits and key-informant interviews with clinic staff indicated clinic staff identified the need for Spanish language messaging to communicate HPV and cancer prevention messages to monolingual Spanish families. As a result, we adapted Spanish-language messages from the 2023 Health Resources and Services Administration toolkit and American Cancer Society to develop a handout with scripts that address top concerns about HPV vaccination with monolingual Spanish-speaking parents of adolescents to that were identified from baseline data collection. Bilingual-bicultural staff then validated messages and confirmed cultural relevance. Developed materials were then presented to clinic leadership to review and suggest further refinement before delivering them to clinic staff. Discussion: Key-informant interviews and post-training site visits played an important role in identifying opportunities to adapt EBS designed to improve HPV vaccination among culturally diverse patients. To better serve diverse communities disproportionately impacted by HPV-associated cancers, clinic staff need resources with HPV vaccine communication messages available in languages that reflect the needs of their patient population. Citation Format: Samantha Garcia, Adrienne Martinez-Hollingsworth, Sheila Salinas Navarro, Sharon Hudson, Zehui He, Emily Dang, Lawrence Palinkas, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Jennifer Tsui. Adapting communication resources for clinic staff in a multisite FQHC to improve HPV vaccination encounters with Spanish-speaking parents of adolescents [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B027.

Parent-to-parent Advising: Conveying Advice Characteristics in an Online Group for Parents of Adolescents and Emerging Adults

In the context of parent-to-parent advising in an online social network site for parents of adolescents and emerging adults, this mixed methods study examined how and how often advisors conveyed known and now-introduced advice source and message characteristics. Results indicated that while some common advice variables were frequently conveyed (i.e. advisor similarity and expertise), other commonly used offline message variables (decision confirmation and clarifying questions) were not. Conveyed most frequently, however, were variables not previously examined in advice theorizing—empowering, encouraging, and modeling.

Why does perceived parenting in adolescence predict maladaptive personality in adulthood? Evidence for substantial genetic mediation.

Why is parenting in adolescence predictive of maladaptive personality in adulthood? This study sets out to investigate environmental and genetic factors underlying the association between parenting and maladaptive personality longitudinally in a large sample of twins. The present study addressed this question via a longitudinal study focused on two cohorts of twins assessed on aspects of perceived parenting (parent- and adolescent-reported) at age 14 years (n =1,094 pairs). Participants were followed to adulthood, and maladaptive personality traits were self-reported using the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) at age 24 or 34 years. We then modeled these data using a bivariate biometric model, decomposing parenting-maladaptive personality associations into additive genetic, shared environmental, and nonshared environmental factors. Numerous domains of adolescent-reported parenting predicted adult maladaptive personality. Further, we found evidence for substantial additive genetic (r a ranging from 0.22 to 0.55) and (to a lesser extent) nonshared environmental factors (r e ranging from 0.10 to 0.15) that accounted for the association between perceived parenting reported in adolescence and adult personality. Perceived parenting in adolescence and maladaptive personality in adulthood may be related due to some of the same genetic factors contributing to both phenotypes at different developmental periods.

Adolescent Health and Parents' and Teachers' Beliefs about Smoking: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The acquisition of healthy lifestyle habits by adolescents is largely influenced by close interpersonal relationships including their parents and teachers. A cross-sectional survey regarding tobacco use was conducted among 304 parents and 41 teachers of secondary school adolescents (12-17 years of age) enrolled in the first, second, and third grades of compulsory secondary education at the largest high school in Sueca, Valencia, Spain. The prevalence of smoking was 36.2% among parents (occasional smokers 75.4%) and 19.5% among teachers (occasional smokers 62.5%). Most parents (89.8%) did not believe that their child smoked and 95.7% viewed it negatively if they did. Also, 75.2% of parents agreed that tobacco consumption encourages adolescents to use cannabis or other drugs. Friends who smoke and additives added to cigarettes were considered very influential factors for starting smoking. Most teachers (90.2%) reported having given a recommendation to their students to quit smoking. Cannabis and cigarette smoking were rated as harmful to health. Most respondents believed that cigarette smoking may favor the consumption of cannabis. The use of e-cigarettes was also considered a risk factor for starting smoking. It would be advantageous incorporating parents and teachers as role models in multidisciplinary interventions addressing smoking behavior in secondary school students.

‘I want to be a different kind of father’: a qualitative analysis of adolescent fatherhood in Perú

Adolescent parents and their offspring experience worse health outcomes throughout the life course. While over 90% of adolescent births occur in low- and middle-income countries, data from many such countries are lacking, particularly from fathers. This qualitative study conducted in Lima, Peru characterises the experience of adolescent fathers and identifies potential intervention targets. Interviews with young fathers and the mothers of their children were coded and analysed using thematic analysis and a grounded theory approach. Factors impacting their experience included family support, changes in their relationship with their partner, gender dynamics, and financial pressure. The study identified family and couple conflict, gendered expectations, and the father’s personal development as potential intervention targets. Further research is needed to develop interventions that effectively engage adolescent fathers in low- and middle-income countries such as Peru, and support their transition to fatherhood.