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Knolls, Michelle L.

Psychology

2004

Ph. D.

This study examined the influence of early interactions with family and peers on adolescents' later behavior with dating partners. Specifically, it investigated the effects of parenting and child behavior in the home during the 5th grade year, as well as social competence with peers in the 7th grade, on adolescents' behavior in dating relationships following the end of the 12th grade. The participants were 59 adolescents (31 boys, 28 girls) who were part of an eight-year longitudinal study of family factors related to adolescent adjustment. It was expected that earlier parent-child interactions would affect late adolescents' behavior in dating relationships both directly and indirectly, via social competence in early adolescence. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls, as past research has reported gender differences in family influences on the development of behavior in romantic relationships. To examine the direct and indirect pathways from earlier parent-child interactions to dating behavior in late adolescence, four structural equation models were constructed-two each for boys and girls. The results at least partially supported all hypotheses. Specifically, for boys, harsh and restrictive as well as inattentive parenting behavior was predictive of later fear of disagreement with dating partners both directly and via 7th grade social competence. In addition, boys' behavior in the home in the 5th grade year was directly related to later insecurity with dating partners, though in one model the outcome was the opposite of what had been predicted. The path models for girls showed a different relation between parenting and later behavior in dating relationships. For both of the girls' models, parenting was not directly related to dating behavior--rather, there was a strong link between parenting behavior and child behavior in the home, and it was the children's behavior that was then associated with fear of disagreement or expressed anger and criticism with dating partners, directly or through 7th grade social competence. These findings can be useful in providing guidance and direction as researchers continue to explore the precursors to healthy and unhealthy interactions within adolescents' romantic relationships.