title: Unsupervised self-care predicts conduct problems: The moderating roles of hostile aggression and gender.
abstract: Despite widespread speculation about the detrimental effect of unsupervised self-care on adolescent outcomes, little is known about which children are particularly prone to problem behaviors when left at home without adult supervision. The present research used data from a longitudinal study of 674 Mexican-origin children residing in the United States to examine the prospective effect of unsupervised self-care on conduct problems, and the moderating roles of hostile aggression and gender. Results showed that unsupervised self-care was related to increases over time in conduct problems such as lying, stealing, and bullying. However, unsupervised self-care only led to conduct problems for boys and for children with an aggressive temperament. The main and interactive effects held for both mother-reported and observational-rated hostile aggression and after controlling for potential confounds.
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, United States. Electronic address: oeatherton@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Olivia E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Atherton
authors.affiliation: Iowa State University, Department of Human Development, United States.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.affiliation: Sonoma State University, Department of Counseling, United States.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sitka
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Human Ecology, United States.
authors.forename: Rand D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Conger
authors.affiliation: University of California, Davis, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Robins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology*; D002140:California; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D019955:Conduct Disorder / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D009035:Mothers; D016487:Parenting / Q000208:ethnology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Conduct problems; Hostile aggression; Latchkey; Self-care; Temperament
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