Dynamic association between parental monitoring and communication and adolescent risk involvement among African-American adolescents.

PURPOSE: To examine: (1) the relationship between parental monitoring and communication and adolescent risk involvement over time, including consideration of their potential interaction; and (2) the effect of consistent versus inconsistent monitoring and communication over time on adolescent risk behaviors. METHODS: Baseline and follow-up data were collected from 1999-2003. A total of 817 African-American adolescents and their parents were recruited from 35 low-income urban communities in Baltimore, MD. Perceived parental monitoring, parent-adolescent communication and seven risk behaviors were assessed. Logistic general estimating equation (GEE) models were performed to assess the dynamic association. RESULTS: Perceived parental monitoring had protective effects on concurrent adolescent risk involvement over two-year observation. The protective effect on girls' sexual abstinence increased significantly over time. Perceived problem communication was associated with increased risk of concurrent involvement in violent behaviors, but the effect did not change over time. For girls, the probability of engaging in sex increased greatly (from 0.3 to 0.6) for those who perceived problem communication, while it remained stable (about 0.4) for those perceiving less problem communication. CONCLUSIONS: The data confirm the protective effect of perceived parental monitoring on adolescent risk involvement. It also extends previous findings by showing the importance of consistent parental monitoring and communication.

Parental awareness of adolescent risk involvement: implications of overestimates and underestimates.

PURPOSE: To explore: 1) parent-adolescent discrepancies on adolescent risk involvement; 2) factors related to parental overestimates and/or underestimates of specific adolescent risk behaviors; and 3) the association of parental overestimates and/or underestimates at baseline with subsequent adolescent risk involvement. METHODS: 754 African American parent-adolescent dyads were recruited from 35 low-income urban communities in Baltimore, Maryland. Parent-adolescent discordance (overestimates and underestimates) regarding adolescent involvement in risk behaviors in three areas (sex, substance use, and violence) were assessed. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to examine the association of parental overestimates or underestimates with subsequent adolescent risk involvement, and to explore potential factors related to parental overestimates and underestimates of each behavior. RESULTS: Percentage of parental overestimation and underestimation ranged from 3% to 24% and 53% to 86%, respectively, for targeted behaviors. Parents reporting higher levels of parental monitoring and open communication were less likely to overestimate, and more likely to underestimate adolescent risk involvement. Parents of adolescents who perceived themselves as better than average in school performance and who participated in religious services were more likely to underestimate adolescents' substance use and sex. Parents of older adolescents overestimated adolescents' sexual experience. Parental overestimation at baseline generally predicted subsequent increased risk of adolescents engaging in these behaviors. Conversely, parental underestimation was associated with subsequent decreased adolescent risk involvement. CONCLUSIONS: Parental underestimation and overestimation of adolescent risk involvement have implications for subsequent adolescent risk involvement. The protective association of parental underestimation and the adverse association of parental overestimation on subsequent adolescent risk involvement indicate that parenting interventions should advance beyond simply improving parent-adolescent concordance on risk behavior.

Randomized trial of a parent intervention: parents can make a difference in long-term adolescent risk behaviors, perceptions, and knowledge.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous interventions have been demonstrated to reduce targeted adolescent risk behaviors for brief periods, sustained behavior changes covering multiple risk behaviors have been elusive. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a parental monitoring intervention (Informed Parents and Children Together [ImPACT]) with and without boosters can further reduce adolescent truancy, substance abuse, and sexual risk behaviors and can alter related perceptions 24 months after intervention among youth who have all received an adolescent risk-reduction intervention, Focus on Kids (FOK). DESIGN: Randomized, controlled, 3-celled longitudinal trial. SETTING: Thirty-five low-income, urban community sites. PARTICIPANTS: Eight hundred seventeen African American youth aged 13 to 16 at baseline. Intervention All youth participated in FOK, an 8-session, theory-based, small group, face-to-face risk-reduction intervention, 496 youth and parents received the 1-session ImPACT intervention (a videotape and discussion), 238 of the ImPACT youth also received four 90-minute FOK boosters delivered in small groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses at baseline and 24 months after intervention to a questionnaire assessing risk and protective behaviors and perceptions. Analyses used General Linear Modeling, intraclass correlation coefficient, analysis of covariance, and multiple comparisons with least significant difference test adjustment. RESULTS: After adjusting for the intraclass correlation coefficient, 6 of 16 risk behaviors were significantly reduced (P< or =.05) among youth receiving ImPACT compared with youth who only received FOK (respectively, mean number of days suspended, 0.65 vs 1.17; carry a bat as a weapon, 4.1% vs 9.6%; smoked cigarettes, 12.5% vs 22.7%; used marijuana, 18.3% vs 26.8%; used other illicit drugs, 1.4% vs 5.6%; and, asked sexual partner if condom always used, 77.9% vs 64.9%). Four of the 7 theory-based subscales reflected significant protective changes among youth who received ImPACT. ImPACT did not produce any significant adverse effects on behaviors or perceptions. CONCLUSION: A parent monitoring intervention can significantly broaden and sustain protection beyond that conferred through an adolescent risk-reduction intervention.