RESUMO
This study aims to identify possible primary targets for the parenting programs designed to reduce (or prevent) the mental health problems of adolescents. We used network analysis to estimate networks for parenting practices and for the interplay between parenting practices and adolescents' mental health problems. A community sample of early adolescents (10-13 years old, N = 1,125) reported both parenting (Alabama Parenting Questionnaire, Child Global Report) and mental health outcomes (Youth Self-Report). The behavior "You stay out later than you are supposed to and your parents don't know it" was the most central in the parenting practices network. Poor monitoring and conduct problems were the main paths through which parenting practices and youths' mental health influenced each other. Regarding the interplay between parenting practices and adolescent mental health, the network for males had a significantly higher connectivity (p = .035) than that for females. Although in the early stages, the network approach promises to provide a better understanding of parenting practices and their interaction with the mental health problems of adolescents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
