Longitudinal Within-Family Association between Parental Monitoring and Adolescent Aggressive Behaviors: Mothering Versus Fathering

Abstract

This study using PROSPER data (N = 977, age 11.5 to age 15) investigated the longitudinal within-family associations between parent-reported parental monitoring and adolescent aggression. Importantly, this study is the first one to examine parent gender and adolescent gender differences on these within-family associations. Results differed between mothers and fathers. There was a negative, bidirectional within-family association between maternal monitoring and adolescent aggression, such that more maternal monitoring than usual was associated with fewer adolescent aggressive behavior problems than usual within the same family, and vice versa. In contrast, during mid-adolescence, a positive, bidirectional within-family association between paternal monitoring and adolescent males' aggression was found, such that more paternal monitoring than usual was related to more adolescent males' aggression than usual within the same family, and vice versa. Practical implications on intervention strategies are discussed.

Keywords: adolescent aggressive behaviors; adolescent gender; parent gender; parental monitoring; within-family.

Figure 1. The Conceptual Framework of Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model

Note. All factor loadings are constrained to 1. PM = parental monitoring, Agg = adolescent aggression. Three variables (i.e., parent education level, adolescent gender and intervention condition) were controlled at the between-family level.

Figure 2. Significant Cross-Lagged Within-Family Associations between Parental Monitoring and Adolescent Aggression

Note. Three variables (i.e., parent education, family status, and intervention status) were controlled at the between-family level in the models. Only significant cross-lagged within-family correlations are presented. The stability of parental monitoring and adolescent aggression between adjacent ages and concurrent association between parental monitoring and adolescent aggression at each age were controlled (not shown, see Figure 1). In the figure (1) of maternal model versus paternal model, the dotted path reflects the paternal model; the solid paths reflect the maternal model. In the figure (2) of girls versus boys in paternal model, the dotted paths depict significant associations for adolescent boys and the solid path for adolescent girls. *p < .05, ^**p < .01.