Antecedents and behavior-problem outcomes of parental monitoring and psychological control in early adolescence

The early childhood antecedents and behavior-problem correlates of monitori ng and psychological control were examined in this prospective, longitudina l, multi-informant study. Parenting data were collected during home visit i nterviews with 440 mothers and their 13-year-old children. Behavior problem s (anxiety/depression and delinquent behavior) were assessed via mother, te acher, and/or adolescent reports at ages 8 through 10 years and again at ag es 13 through 14. Home-interview data collected at age 5 years were used to measure antecedent parenting (harsh/reactive, positive/proactive), family background (e.g., socioeconomic status), and mother-rated child behavior pr oblems. Consistent with expectation, monitoring was anteceded by a proactiv e parenting style and by advantageous family-ecological characteristics, an d psychological control was anteceded by harsh parenting and by mothers' ea rlier reports of child externalizing problems. Consistent with prior resear ch, monitoring was associated with fewer delinquent behavior problems. Link s between psychological control and adjustment were more complex: High leve ls of psychological control were associated with more delinquent problems f or girls and for teens who were low in preadolescent delinquent problems, a nd with more anxiety/depression for girls and for teens who were high in pr eadolescent anxiety/depression.