SYNOPSIS

Objective. This study examined the relations between parenting styles and perceived mother-adolescent relationship quality in a socioeconomically diverse sample of African American mothers and adolescents. Design. African American female caregivers (N = 109) completed measures of maternal warmth, maternal monitoring, and information on family demographics. Adolescents completed measures assessing their perceptions of specific aspects of mother-adolescent relationship quality and demographic information. Results. Authoritative mothers reported greater monitoring than mothers classified as having authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful styles. Authoritative mothers also reported higher levels of warmth than mothers classified as authoritarian or neglectful styles. Authoritarian mothers reported significantly higher levels of monitoring when compared to indulgent mothers and neglectful mothers. Consistent with predictions, adolescents with authoritative mothers reported more positive mother-adolescent relationship quality in the form of greater communication, trust, and alienation when compared to adolescents with authoritarian and neglectful mothers. Against predictions, neither household income nor adolescent gender moderated the associations between parenting style and mother-adolescent relationship quality. Results from several exploratory analyses are also reported. Conclusions. The mother-adolescent relationship benefits from authoritative parenting in socioeconomically diverse African American families.

概要

目标。这项研究在非裔美国人的母亲和青少年的社会经济差异样本中检验了父母教养方式与感知的母亲-青少年关系质量之间的关系。设计。非洲裔美国女性照顾者（ N = 109）完成了产妇保暖，产妇监测和家庭人口统计信息的测量。青少年完成了评估其对母婴关系质量和人口统计学信息的特定方面的看法的措施。结果。权威的母亲报告的监控程度要高于被归类为专制，纵容和疏忽的母亲。权威母亲的温暖水平也高于被归类为专制或轻率的母亲。与放纵的母亲和疏忽大意的母亲相比，专制母亲报告的监测水平明显更高。与预言一致的是，有权威母亲的青少年与有专横母亲和疏忽母亲的青少年相比，以更好的沟通，信任和疏远的形式报告了更积极的母青少年关系质量。与预言相反，家庭收入和青少年性别都没有调节父母的养育方式和母子关系质量之间的联系。结论。母婴关系得益于在经济社会不同的非裔美国人家庭中的权威性育儿。