SUPPRESSION IN THE STUDY OF PARENTING AND ADOLESCENT SYMPTOMS - STATISTICAL NUISANCE AND NONSENSE, OR SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION

Over 500 adolescents rated their parents' discipline-relevant behavior s and their own problems with psychological and somatic symptoms. Most of the respondents lived in a medium-sized city or town setting and w ere surveyed in their high schools; a small sample of 26 detention cen ter youngsters of similar age also participated. Consistent with a sub stantive interpretation of a suppressor variable effect, parental perm issiveness, although not related to symptom reports in simple bivariat e correlations, significantly predicted higher symptoms. Parenting war mth was shown to reduce symptoms directly, but increase symptoms indir ectly through its tendency to increase permissiveness. The conceptuall y related parenting style of indulgence showed a similar pattern, exce pt that indulgence of girls did not directly affect symptoms. The dire ct beneficial influence of parental warmth was larger and more consist ent than its negative indirect influence through indulgence or permiss iveness. Interpretations and limitations were discussed. Recommendatio ns were made that social workers (I) attend more to parenting behavior s that are neither abusive nor neglectful, but importantly affect outc omes for children, and (2) view research data in a complex and theoret ical manner, so as not to overlook important effects hidden in near-ze ro bivariate relationships.