Parents' involvement in adolescents' peer relationships: A comparison of mothers' and fathers' roles

The goals of this study, were to compare mothers' and fathers' direct invol vement in adolescent girls' versus boys' peer relationships and to examine the links between parents' involvement and the qualities of adolescents' fr iendship and peer experiences. Participants were mothers, fathers, and firs tborn adolescents (mean age = 15 years) in 187 working- and middle-class fa milies. Data were collected during home visits and a series of seven nightl y telephone interviews. Parents' direct involvement was measured by parents ' reports of their peer-oriented activities, parents' knowledge about adole scents' peer experiences, and parents' time spent with adolescents and thei r peers. Findings revealed that mothers were more knowledgeable about adole scents' peer relationships than were fathers, that mothers with daughters r eported the most peer-oriented activities, and that both mothers and father s spent more time with same-sex adolescents and their peers. Parents' direc t involvement was differentially related to girls' versus boys' peer experi ences. Discussion highlights the role of parents' and adolescents' gender i n shaping this dimension of family life in adolescence.