Neighborhood,Parenting, and Adolescent Factors and Academic Achievement in Latino Adolescents From Immigrant Families

Abstract: Self‐report questionnaire, school records, and census block group data for 502 Latino adolescents in immigrant families were examined using multilevel modeling to test how structural neighborhood adversity, in addition to perceived neighborhood, parental, and adolescent factors, explained grade point average (GPA). The results showed perceived neighborhood risk, mothers’ education aspirations for youth, and gender were directly related to GPA. Academic motivation mediated the relationship between fathers’ and mothers’ monitoring and GPA. Implications for prevention, intervention, and policy are presented.     

Latino Adolescents’ Perception of Parenting Behaviors and Self‐Esteem: Examining the Role of Neighborhood Risk

Abstract: We examined the relations among parenting behaviors, adolescents’ self‐esteem, and neighborhood risk with a Midwestern sample of 324 Latino adolescents. The findings suggest that boys’ self‐esteem is influenced by both mothers’ and fathers’ parenting behaviors, whereas girls’ self‐esteem is influenced by mothers’ behaviors only. In addition, the findings provide partial support for the notion that parenting influences on psychological outcomes vary based on neighborhood context.     

Parental perceptions of children's agency: Parental warmth,school achievement and adjustment

The present study examined Swedish mothers’ and fathers’ warmth towards their children in relation to their children's agency. It also examined the longitudinal relation between agency and children's externalising, internalising, and school achievement. Swedish children's mothers and fathers (N?=?93) were interviewed at three time points (when children were 8, 9, and 10 years old) about their warmth towards their children, children's agency, and children's externalising and internalising behaviours and school achievement. Parental warmth at Time 1 was significantly correlated with child agency at Time 2, which was significantly correlated with child externalising and internalising behaviours and academic achievement at Time 3. There were no differences between girls and boys. Results from this study indicate that Swedish parents’ warmth is directly related to subsequent perceptions of children's agency, which in turn are related to subsequently lower child externalising and internalising problems and higher academic achievement. These findings held in the context of a three-year longitudinal study and for both boys and girls, suggesting the importance of child agency in the link between parental warmth and children's adjustment.     

School‐performance indicators and subjective health complaints: are there gender differences?

Although boys and girls are generally located in the same physical school environment, it may be experienced differently by, and have varying implications for, boys and girls. Girls like school more and achieve higher school marks, but they also perceive more school-related pressure. Based on a total sample of 8456 ninth grade pupils in Stockholm in 2004, this study uses multilevel linear regression to analyse differences between boys and girls with regard to a number of school-performance indicators (demands, motivation, teacher support and school marks) and their association with subjective health complaints. Results showed that girls perceive more demands, show greater academic motivation, perform better in school and report more emotional support from teachers than boys. In contrast, instrumental and appraisal support from teachers are more commonly reported by boys. Associations between school-performance indicators and subjective health complaints were slightly stronger for girls than for boys. Contextual variation in health complaints, especially between classes, was found only for girls. High achievement motivation and emotional teacher support in the school class was associated with better pupil health, suggesting that a positive climate in terms of motivation and support favours class health as a whole.     

A longitudinal study of maternal messages about dating and sexuality and their influence on Latino adolescents.

PURPOSE: To learn more about the nature of mother-adolescent discussions about sexuality and their influence on adolescents' behaviors and attitudes in Latino families. METHODS: Fifty-five Latino mothers and their midadolescent children (35 girls, 20 boys, mean age 13 years) were observed talking about dating and sexuality. The videotaped conversations were coded for the prevalence of five maternal message types: beliefs and values, advice, cautionary messages, comments about the adolescents' everyday experiences, and maternal self-disclosure about her own dating and sexuality experiences. A structural equation model was used to examined how time spent on the various message types was related to three adolescent-related outcomes collected about 1 year later: sexual behavior, attitudes toward premarital sex, and reports of openness in the mother-child relationship. RESULTS: Latino mothers focused the conversation on their personal beliefs and values about dating and sexuality. Discussions about beliefs and values were accompanied by more parental advice and cautionary messages. More maternal self-disclosure about personal dating and sexuality experiences was related to the adolescents' reporting a better functioning relationship with their mothers and having more conservative attitudes toward premarital sex. Sexuality communication was both positively and negatively related to adolescent sexual behavior, but the messages were not the same. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal communication in Latino families influences adolescents' behaviors and attitudes toward sex and adolescents' perceptions of openness in the mother-child relationship. Observational methods are useful for studying the complexity of the communication process and for studying participants from ethnic minority populations who may be unfamiliar with or uncomfortable filling out questionnaires.     

Parental expectations for young children: Day care versus preschool

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine parental expectations for the curriculum content of preschool and day care programs. Subjects were 111 mothers and fathers of three and four year old children enrolled in either a day care or preschool program. Results revealed no significant differences between preschool versus day care parents in terms of expectations for the curriculum content. Analyses indicated that fathers had higher expectations and more favorable attitudes towards instruction in academic and athletic areas than mothers, while both mothers and fathers had higher expectations in academic, artistic, and compliance areas for girls compared to boys. Implications for early childhood programs are discussed.     

Adolescent Mothers’ Perceptions of Fathers’ Parental Involvement: Satisfaction and Desire for Involvement*

Abstract: Grounded in family systems and ecological theories, this study examined teenage mothers’ perceptions of fathers’ parental involvement and the role of teenage mothers’ gatekeeping beliefs. Fathers’ involvement was perceived to be greater when teenage parents were romantically involved (n = 55). When they no longer shared a romantic relationship (n = 59), mothers’ satisfaction with and desire for fathers’ involvement (i.e., gatekeeping beliefs) mediated the association between mothers’ perceptions of developmental and contextual factors and their perceptions of fathers’ involvement. Overall, the proposed developmental‐contextual model was not significant for romantically involved teenage parents. Findings underscore the need to account for and incorporate issues related to relationship status, grandparent support, historical support, and maternal gatekeeping beliefs when developing programs for adolescent parents.     

The effect of parental authority on the preschool child's self-concept

The relationship between the preschool child's self-concept and the parents use of authority was examined. The Brown IDS -- Self-Concept Test was administered to 81 preschool children and the Gordon's “Use of Parental Authority” was administered to the parents of the children. A strong relationship was found between boys self-concept and the mothers use of control. The mothers who used more control had boys with the higher self-concept. More control was advocated by parents of girls than parents of boys. Both mothers and fathers self-concept and the self-concept of their daughters and sons were strongly related.     

How Mentor Support Interacts With Mother and Teacher Support in Predicting Youth Academic Adjustment: An Investigation Among Youth Exposed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada Programs

This study examines three potential contributions (i.e., additive only, hierarchical compensatory, and hierarchical conditional) of mentor support to youth academic adjustment, taking into account interactions with support from mothers and teachers. We derived data from a larger study of the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Canada community mentoring program. The sample included 427 youth (average age 9.8 years; 64% girls, 56% White) who received one-to-one community-based mentoring for at least three months. We assessed perceptions of support from mothers and teachers before the match and assessed perceptions of support from mentors five times throughout the mentoring experience. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that mentor support predicted positive changes in youth academic adjustment (i.e., school attitude, academic self-efficacy, assistance seeking, and problem solving) mainly when mentees already reported high support from their mother. This finding clearly supports the conditional model and invites researchers to question the assumption that mentoring constitutes a corrective experience for young people (i.e., the compensatory model). BBBS agencies are strongly encouraged to involve parents in the mentoring process and to view them as experts, assets, and allies in their effort to meet the youth’s needs.     

Transactional development of parental beliefs and academic skills in primary school

This study examined transactional development of mothers’ beliefs (self-efficacy, success attributions of a child's success to maternal effort) and children's academic skills. Six hundred sixty-eight children and their mothers were evaluated twice: at the beginning of the first grade and at the end of the third grade. Mothers’ beliefs were measured with a modified Teacher Efficacy Scale; math and reading skills were assessed with tests. The results showed that mothers’ self-efficacy was not related to a child's academic skills. Mutual negative relations between attributions of a child's success to maternal effort and children's academic skills were identified. When children's initial skills were low, mothers’ success attributions increased. In turn, mothers’ higher success attributions at the beginning of school predicted children's lower skills at the end of the third grade. Mothers’ higher education was related to their higher self-efficacy and lower success attributions. The findings emphasise the need to educate parents about attributions and the best ways to support their children's academic development.     

Cross-sectional survey on the nutritional and life-style habits of secondary school students in Hungary

INTRODUCTION: The national representative survey of secondary school students (age: 15-18 years) was undertaken between 1997 and 2000. The authors presented the data related to the nutritional and life-style habits. METHODS: The data for 6,347 students (48.4% boys and 51.6% girls) were evaluated. The anonymous questionnaire contained inquiries on nutritional rhythm, food frequency, use of vitamin and mineral supplements, smoking, alcohol and drug consumption habits, regular physical activity and family background (qualification, smoking, alcohol consumption). Within the frame of personal interviews the authors collected data on students' history with regard to occurrence of diabetes mellitus, other chronic diseases and in girls the time of the first menstruation. Concerning parents' history the authors collected information on the incidence of hypertension, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and stroke. STATISTICAL EVALUATION: Data were recorded in Data-Ease database system, in forms of individual records. The individual records were converted to be suitable for the statistical evaluation by SPSS for windows 9 statistical program pack. Data are presented as means and percent distribution. RESULTS: The nutritional rhythm of students was irregular. The daily consumption of milk, dairy products, fruits, fresh vegetables and vegetable dishes was insufficient. Eighty percent of students added extra salt to foods. More than 49% of students regularly consumed some forms of vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Thirty five percent of boys and 30% of girls smoked daily, 14.6% of boys and 5.9% of girls consumed alcohol at least once a week. Fifteen percent of boys and 11% of girls already tried taking drugs at least once. Only 50% of boys and 31% of girls were involved in a regular physical activity. Twenty two percent of fathers and 25% of mothers had university qualifications, whereas intermediate qualifications were recorded in 63 and 59%, lower qualifications occurred in 8 and 13% of parents, respectively. The incidence of smoking was 42% for fathers and 36% for mothers. Weekly alcohol consumption was recorded in 11%, daily consumption in 7% among fathers, the same figures for mothers were 4-4%, respectively. The incidence of hypertension, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and stroke was 26; 3.4; 5.4 and 1.5% in fathers and 32.9; 4.2; 6.6 and 1.5% in mothers. CONCLUSIONS: The data collected in the complex nutritional hygienic survey revealed serious deficiencies in the nutritional and life style habits of secondary school students. These factors considerably contribute to the unfavorable statistics of nutrition related non-infectious diseases in adulthood.     

某高中学生学业情绪特点及其与自我概念的关系

目的：正确评价高中生自我概念对学业情绪的影响程度,为改善高中生学业情绪提供更有利的依据。方法运用自编人口学问卷、青少年学业情绪问卷和田纳西自我概念量表,对整群抽取的某县级高中450名学生进行问卷调查;并对调查结果进行 t 检验、方差分析、相关回归等统计学分析。结果总体来讲,女孩比男孩体验到更多的消极学业情绪(P <0.05);独生子女的积极高唤醒情绪显著高于非独生子女(P <0.05);高一学生体验到的消极高唤醒情绪显著高于高二、高三学生(P <0.05);社会自我、心理自我能够显著地正向预测积极唤醒情绪、负向预测消极唤醒情绪;自我批评能够显著正向预测积极高唤醒、消极高唤醒,负向预测积极低唤醒、消极低唤醒(P <0.05)。结论高中生的自我概念对其学业情绪有一定的预测作用,提高学生的自我概念水平有利于改善学生的学业情绪。     

Perceptions of father involvement patterns in teenage‐mother families: Predictors and links to mothers’ psychological adjustment*

Abstract: Based on adolescent mothers’ reports, longitudinal patterns of involvement of young, unmarried biological fathers (n = 77) in teenage‐mother families using cluster analytic techniques were examined. Approximately one third of fathers maintained high levels of involvement over time, another third demonstrated low involvement at both time points, and the final third started out highly involved at Wave 1 but decreased to low levels of involvement by Wave 2. Multinomial logistic analyses suggest that mothers’ positive relationships with both the father and his family predict a greater likelihood of initiated and sustained high father involvement. In contrast, stronger support from the maternal grandmother is related to decreasing father involvement over time, and coresidence with the grandmother is related to sustained low father involvement. Whereas a decreasing pattern of father involvement was significantly associated with increased maternal parenting stress over time, the patterns of father involvement were unrelated to changes in young mothers’ levels of depressive symptoms and mastery.     

Mediating Role of Social Competence: Family Communication and Body Satisfaction among Male College Students

This study examined whether social competence mediates the association between family communication and undergraduate males’ body satisfaction. Male undergraduate students (N = 442) completed an online survey assessing their perceptions of mothers’ as well as fathers’ family communication patterns (FCPs), social competence, and body satisfaction. Results generally supported the hypothesized model. Conversation orientation, regardless of whether mothers’ or fathers’, was positively associated with social competence, which, in turn, was positively related to body satisfaction. On the other hand, the role of conformity orientation in predicting males’ body satisfaction varied by parental sex (mothers or fathers): Mothers’ conformity orientation was associated with body satisfaction through social competence in an expected manner, whereas fathers’ conformity orientation was related to none of the endogenous variables. However, once mothers’ FCPs were eliminated from the model, fathers’ conformity orientation became a direct as well as indirect predictor of sons’ body satisfaction through social competence. Interpretations of the findings, practical implications, and a future direction are discussed.     

Latino Adolescents’ Adjustment,Maternal Depressive Symptoms,and the Mother‐Adolescent Relationship*

Abstract: This study examined associations between adolescent behaviors, maternal depressive symptoms, and mother‐adolescent relationships. Latina mothers and adolescents (111 dyads) completed questionnaires and participated in videotaped discussions. Mothers’ depressive symptoms related to adolescents’ internalizing and externalizing behaviors and family satisfaction. Observed maternal behavior during a conflict conversation also related to adolescent substance use. Family satisfaction partially mediated the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and adolescents’ substance use. Clinical implications for working with Latino adolescents are discussed.     

Changing associations of Australian parents' physical activity with their children's sport participation: 1985 to 2004

Objective: The socio‐ecological milieu of children's physical activity is changing, perhaps causing perturbations within the causal ‘web’ that explains physical activity behaviours. It is unclear if the relative importance of parental role modelling is changing. Accordingly, this study examined associations of child‐perceived parent physical activity and children's sport participation in 1985 and 2004. Methods: In 1985 (179 girls, 211 boys) and 2004 (210 girls, 218 boys), Australian schoolchildren (9–15 years) in the same eight schools were surveyed on sport participation and perceptions of parents’ physical activity. Results: In the 1985 sample, girls with active fathers played more sport. In 2004, boys and girls with active fathers or active mothers reported higher sport participation. In 1985, there were no differences in sport participation between those with both, either or neither parent active. In 2004, sport participation was highest among boys and girls with both parents active. Conclusions: These results underscore the current role of parents as socialising agents for physical activity. Implications: Intervention design should be founded on the most recent evidence of children's physical activity correlates.     

Acculturation and Adjustment in Latino Adolescents: How Cultural Risk Factors and Assets Influence Multiple Domains of Adolescent Mental Health

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among risk factors, cultural assets, and Latino adolescent mental health outcomes. We extend past research by using a longitudinal design and evaluating direct and moderated acculturation effects across a range of internalizing, externalizing, and academic engagement outcomes. The sample consisted of 281 Latino/a youths and one of their parents in metropolitan, small town, and rural areas within North Carolina and Arizona. The length of time the adolescent was in the U.S. was positively related to humiliation, aggression, and school bonding. Adolescent U.S. cultural involvement and parent culture of origin involvement were not significantly related to adolescent mental health or school bonding. Parent U.S. involvement had an inverse association with adolescent social problems, aggression, and anxiety. Adolescent culture of origin involvement was positively related to adolescent self-esteem 1 year later. Inverse relationships were found for the link between adolescent culture of origin involvement and hopelessness, social problems, and aggression 1 year later. Implications for prevention programming and policy development are discussed.     

Relationship Quality and Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among Urban,Married African Americans,Hispanics, and Whites

Bivariate analyses showed that continuously married urban African American, non‐Hispanic White, and Hispanic fathers and mothers reporting greater marital support and less relational control experienced a decrease in depressive symptoms. Multiple regression showed a stronger association between concurrent marital support and decreased depressive symptoms for mothers than fathers. African American and Hispanic fathers reporting higher levels of spousal relationship support when children were infants reported a larger decrease in depressive symptoms when children were age 3 compared to non‐Hispanic Whites. Relationship control at age 3 was positively related to increased depressive symptoms among all groups except African American fathers and White mothers. African American and Hispanic fathers with marital problems may need additional support services.     

Risk factors for childbearing during adolescence in a population-based birth cohort in southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To use a case-control study to analyze risk factors associated with teenage childbearing among adolescents who were in a birth cohort study that began in 1982 in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: Adolescent mothers in Pelotas who gave birth between January 1995 and March 2001 and who had been born in 1982 were identified through the local birth information system. These subjects from the 1982 birth cohort were compared to adolescents from the same cohort who had not given birth before March 2001. Standardized interviews were used in 2001 to obtain information about socioeconomic, maternal reproductive, demographic, and lifestyle characteristics. This information was combined with data obtained in earlier phases of this 1982 birth cohort study. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors associated with childbearing during adolescence. RESULTS: A total of 420 parous adolescents from the 1982 birth cohort were identified and then compared with 408 cohort adolescents who had not given birth by March 2001. Higher family income in 1982 and more parental schooling in 1982 were inversely related to childbearing among the birth cohort adolescents. Cohort girls whose mothers were under age 20 when they gave birth in 1982 had a higher risk of becoming pregnant while still an adolescent. Cohort girls who, during childhood, lived with siblings from different fathers were twice as likely to become an adolescent mother. Compared to cohort adolescents who had not failed during the first four years of school, those girls who had done so had twice the risk of giving birth during adolescence. Among the cohort girls a positive association was found between younger age at first intercourse and childbearing in adolescence. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the educational level of the adolescent mothers must be considered in planning policies that attempt to disrupt successive cycles of socioeconomic deprivation. Early interventions to improve sex education and to increase the motivation of young girls to achieve higher levels of education are needed. The interventions should aim for a reduction in the risk of long-term poverty and poorer educational achievements of teenage mothers and their children.     

School Climate,Academic Achievement and Educational Aspirations in Roma Minority and Bulgarian Majority Adolescents

Background

School climate can promote students’ academic achievement and high educational aspirations. School climate refers to the quality and character of school life, norms, values, social interactions and organizational processes within a school.

Objective

We examined for the present sample whether (a) school climate relates to academic achievement and educational aspirations and (b) such relations vary for Roma minority compared to their majority peers.

Method

Participants in this cross-sectional study were 356 adolescents aged 11–19 years old (159 Roma, 197 Bulgarian majority), 332 mothers (149 Roma, 183 majority), 231 fathers (104 Roma, 127 majority) and 221 majority teachers who completed self-report surveys to address the study goals. Adolescents provided data on educational aspirations and academic achievement, parents on their children’s educational aspirations and teachers reported on school climate. We employed linear mixed models to explore associations of school climate, academic achievement and educational aspirations among Roma and Bulgarian majority youth.

Results

There were negative associations between teacher-reported school climate and students’ academic achievement, as well as adolescent and parental educational aspirations for Roma adolescents only. Roma adolescents and parents reported lower academic achievement and educational aspirations than their majority counterparts.

Conclusions

This study supports the relevance of school climate in relation to academic achievement and aspirations of disadvantaged minority students. Interventions should pay close attention to perceptions and attitudes in a school to successfully promote positive outcomes among students.