title: Gender Differences in Relations among Perceived Family Characteristics and Risky Health Behaviors in Urban Adolescents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Research regarding the role of gender in relations between family characteristics and health risk behaviors has been limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to investigate gender differences in associations between family processes and risk-taking in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents (N = 249; mean age = 14.5 years) starting their first year at an urban high school in the northeastern USA completed self-report measures that assessed family characteristics (i.e., parental monitoring, family social support, family conflict) and health behaviors (i.e., tobacco use, alcohol use, marijuana use, sex initiation) as part of a prospective, community-based study. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate gender differences in associations between the family characteristics and health behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among males, higher levels of perceived parental monitoring were associated with lower odds of using tobacco and having ever engaged in sex. Among females, higher levels of perceived parental monitoring were associated with lower odds of marijuana use, alcohol use, and having ever engaged in sex. However, in contrast to males, among females (a) higher levels of perceived family social support were associated with lower odds of alcohol use and having ever engaged in sex and (b) higher levels of perceived family conflict were associated with higher odds of marijuana use and having ever engaged in sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family processes were more strongly related to health behaviors among adolescent females than adolescent males. Interventions that increase parental monitoring and family social support as well as decrease family conflict may help to protect against adolescent risk taking, especially for females.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventative Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Coro West, Suite 309 164 Summit Ave, Providence, RI, 02906, USA. kimberly_nelson_1@brown.edu.|Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. kimberly_nelson_1@brown.edu.
authors.forename: Kimberly M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Kate B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventative Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Coro West, Suite 309 164 Summit Ave, Providence, RI, 02906, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.|Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Lori A J
authors.initials: LAJ
authors.lastname: Scott-Sheldon
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Tanya L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Aesoon
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Vanable
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Craig K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ewart
authors.affiliation: Centers for Behavioral and Preventative Medicine, The Miriam Hospital, Coro West, Suite 309 164 Summit Ave, Providence, RI, 02906, USA.|Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.|Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Carey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005195:Family Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D000073599:Health Risk Behaviors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D000066608:Underage Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Adolescent; Family conflict; Gender; Parental monitoring; Risk-taking; Social support