Citation

Smetana JG. Child Dev. Perspect. 2008; 2(1): 19-25.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1750-8606.2008.00036.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recent research has challenged the established conclusion that vigilant parental monitoring is associated with less externalizing behavior among adolescents. Measures of parental monitoring typically have focused on parents' knowledge of their children's whereabouts, not on parents' active surveillance. Recent research, which controls for parent-adolescent relationships, finds that adolescents' voluntary disclosure to parents about their activities, associates, and whereabouts is more important than previously recognized in predicting parental knowledge and, in turn, reducing teens' involvement in risky behavior. This article reviews recent research on how parents obtain knowledge of their adolescents' activities and how adolescents manage that information. The article also highlights the importance of reciprocal parent-adolescent processes. Directions for future research are discussed.