Mothers' parenting dimensions and adolescent externalizing and internalizing behaviors in a low-income, urban Mexican American sample.
The relation between adolescent-reported parenting behaviors and mother-reported youth externalizing and internalizing behaviors was examined among 91 Mexican American mother-adolescent (ages 13-17) dyads recruited from an immigrant enclave in a large midwestern metropolitan area. Two major dimensions of mothers' parenting emerged: supportive parenting and harsh parental control. Gender moderation analyses revealed that lower levels of externalizing behaviors were linked with mothers' higher levels of supportive parenting among girls but not among boys. Higher levels of youth-reported depression were linked with mothers' higher levels of harsh parental control among boys but not among girls. The findings highlight the importance of supportive parenting and of gender in the study of Mexican American families and youth mental health.
Manongdo
Jennifer A
JA
Clinical/Community Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA.
Ramirez Garcia
Jorge I
JI
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D017058:Mexican Americans / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data