Observational data collected in the homes of 17 abuse, 17 neglect, and 19 control families indicated that abusive and neglectful parents demonstrated lower rates of interaction overall and were more likely to emphasize the negative in their relationships with their children. (JMB)

Assessed influence of maternal age at first birth on mothers' emotionally affective behaviors to their children using three samples of families (N=33, 38, 36). Two models of age effects were considered: (1) life experiences and (2) stress from early first birth. Age at first birth was positively associated with supportive maternal behaviors and…

Demonstrates that parents' education is linked to changes in adolescent (N=350) self-reported physical health through the level of and changes in parental rejection. The study also finds that parents' education has a significant, direct effect on subsequent changes in adolescents' self-reported health status. (Author/MKA)

Based on data collected over a three-year period, found that, when both parents and adolescents exhibited ineffective, coercive behavior, parent-adolescent interactions grew more negative over time. When parents exhibited nurturant behavior and adolescents belligerent behavior, disruptive adolescent behavior resulted in a decline in nurturant…

Examined intergenerational transmission of hostile parenting, moderating effects of child negative emotional reactivity, and links between second generation (G2) hostile parenting and G3 problem behaviors. Found that G1 mothers' hostile parenting when target participant was an adolescent (G2) predicted G2 hostile parenting toward their young child…

Hypothesized that parenting exhibits either a compensatory or buffering effect on age-related increases in adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems. Collected data for five years from mothers, fathers, and adolescent children. Found significant gender differences in growth trajectories of externalizing and internalizing problems.…

Assessed several factors for parents and adolescents over a seven-year period. Found that adolescents' risk-taking behavior mediated the influence of parental warmth and adolescents' affiliations with deviant peers on involvement in pregnancy by grade 12, and that adolescents' academic achievement mediated the relationship between parental warmth…

Parents from child-abuse and matched-control families were examined for variation of life-change scores, perceptions of physical and emotional health, and punitiveness of their own parents. Abusive parents had higher life-change scores, more numerous perceptions of emotion physical ill health, and more punitive childhoods. (Author)

Examined the relationship between individual interactional style, individual problem-solving behavior, and family problem-solving effectiveness in 431 intact rural families with 2 children, 1 of whom was in seventh grade. Results indicated that a hostile interactional style directly predicted destructive problem-solving behavior, whereas a warm…

Using a theoretical model, specific hypotheses about factors that moderate the benefits of attending the Preparing for the Drug-Free Years program were tested. Results for fathers (n=144) show that high levels of family stress reduce the benefits of program attendance and strong pre-program skills increase the benefits of program attendance.…

Observational data was taken in the homes of 17 abuse, 17 neglect, and 19 control families to discover whether there are distinctive patterns of day-to-day interaction that distinguish abusive and neglectful families from families with no known history of abusing or neglecting their children. The observational code was recorded through the…

Tested theory that family context largely determines parent-adolescent conflict. Results from data collected on 335 families over a 4-year period showed that families exhibiting warmth and supportiveness experienced successful negotiations of disagreements between parents and adolescent children, whereas hostile, coercive conditions led to…

This longitudinal study examined reciprocal growth in negative emotions between parents and adolescents, and their potential influence on the development of social relationships during early adulthood. Findings showed that both parents' and adolescents' initial levels of negative emotion toward each other predicted the rate of growth and rate of…

Early adolescent alcohol use and abuse has become a public health issue. Research studies indicate that early adolescent drinking may lead to emotional, social, and academic impairments, health and developmental problems, and even death. This study emphasized the need to better understand the predisposing triggers of adolescent alcohol use…

Examines whether differences between adolescent adjustment problems in divorced families and intact families can be explained by parental conflicts and parents' level of involvement. Determined the quality of mother's parenting and father's involvement explained the association between divorce and boys' externalizing problems; the quality of…