Citation

Cookston JT, Finlay AK. Fathering 2006; 4(2): 137-158.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Men's Studies Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Based on 2 waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, evidence from 2,387 adolescents tested the hypothesis that mothers and fathers in two-parent families make unique, additive contributions to the delinquency, depressive symptoms, and alcohol use behaviors of their children. Cross-sectional and longitudinal structural equation models were used to explain variance in problematic outcomes. The cross-sectional and longitudinal results before controlling for baseline scores supported the conclusion that mother and father involvement explained unique variance in children�s adjustment. For delinquency and alcohol behaviors, the associations were attenuated considerably when Wave 1 behaviors were held constant. For depressive symptoms, only father involvement was a practically significant predictor. Results are discussed in light of methodological considerations pertaining to investigations of parent involvement during adolescence.