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ABSTRACT
The present study examined parental support and monitoring as they relate to adolescent outcomes. It was hypothesized that support and monitoring would be associated with higher self-esteem and less risky behavior during adolescence. The diverse sample included 16,749 adolescents assessed as part of the National Educational Longitudinal Study. Both high parental support and parental monitoring were related to greater self-esteem and lower risk behaviors. The findings partially confirm, as well as extend, propositions in attachment theory.
A substantial amount of research indicates that parents play an important role in the lives of children and adolescents (Henricson & Roker, 2000; Liddle, Rowe, Dakof, & Lyke, 1998; Maccoby, 1992; Smetana, 1999), although there have been claims to the contrary (Harris, 1998). According to recent research, supportive parenting is linked to adolescent self-esteem (Dekovic & Meeus, 1997; Spoth, Redmond, Hockaday, & Yoo, 1996; Rice, 1990; Hoelter & Harper, 1987). Conversely, lack of parental support is cited as a strong correlate of adolescent substance problems and delinquent behavior (Barnes, Farrell, & Cairns, 1986; Hundleby & Mercer, 1987; Simons, Lin, & Gordon, 1998).
Barber (1992) has linked poor parental supervision to adolescent problem behavior. Frick (1993) has reported the association of low parental supervision and lack of knowledge of the adolescent's activities with adolescent behavior problems. Similar findings linking poor parental monitoring and adolescent behavior problems were also reported by Ary and colleagues (1999) and Dishion and McMahon (1998). Forehand, Miller, Dutra, and Chance (1997) found an association between parental monitoring and lower levels of adolescent deviant behavior.
Perception plays an important role in behavior. Research suggests that the adolescent's perception of the parenting behavior may have greater influence on adolescent behavior. For example, researchers have found that a mother's report of her disapproval was only weakly linked to lower teen sexuality. Instead, the daughter's perception of the mother's views was related more powerfully to the daughter's delaying sex (Jaccard, Dittus, & Gordon, 1998).
Similar studies examining these differences have found the adolescent's perception of the parent's behavior to be more valid and predictive of adolescent behavior. Gonzales, Cauce, and Mason (1996) examined agreement between mothers and daughters of maternal support and maternal control against independent observer ratings. It was found that adolescent ratings of these maternal behaviors...