Kh. Beck et al., Associations between parent awareness, monitoring, enforcement and adolescent involvement with alcohol, HEAL EDUC R, 14(6), 1999, pp. 765-775
In a statewide random telephone survey of 454 parents and their 14- to 19-y
ear-old adolescents, we examined the associations between various parenting
strategies and self-reported teen drinking. Less teen drinking was associa
ted with parents' reports of checking to see if other parents would be pres
ent at teen parties, particularly among White parents. Parents' monitoring
of teens' activities was associated with feelings of competence at doing so
, There was, however, no difference in drinking between teens with parents
who did or did not report restricting their teens due to teen misbehavior.
These findings suggest that a proactive parental monitoring approach may be
associated with less adolescent drinking. Prospective research is needed t
o clarify the causal relationship between parental monitoring, efficacy and
teen alcohol-related behavior.