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. 2019 Aug;48(8):1544-1554.
doi: 10.1007/s10964-018-0980-9. Epub 2019 May 20.

Long-Term Effects of Parenting and Adolescent Self-Competence for the Development of Optimism and Neuroticism

Jing Yu  1 , Diane L Putnick  2 , Charlene Hendricks  2 , Marc H Bornstein  2
Affiliations

Long-Term Effects of Parenting and Adolescent Self-Competence for the Development of Optimism and Neuroticism

Jing Yu et al. J Youth Adolesc. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Optimism and neuroticism have strong public health significance; however, their developmental precursors have rarely been identified. This study examined adolescents' self-competence and their parents' parenting practices as developmental origins of optimism and neuroticism in a moderated mediation model. Data were collected when European American adolescents (N = 290, 47% girls) were 14, 18, and 23 years old. Multiple-group path analyses with the nested data revealed that 14-year psychological control and lax behavioral control of both parents predicted lower levels of 18-year adolescence self-competence, which in turn predicted decreased 23-year optimism and increased neuroticism. However, the positive effects of warmth on 18-year optimism were stronger in the context of high maternal and paternal authoritativeness, and the positive effects of warmth on adolescent self-competence was attenuated by maternal authoritarianism. This study identified nuanced effects of parenting on adolescents' competence and personality, which point to important intervention targets to promote positive youth development.

Keywords: Neuroticism; Optimism; Parenting; Personality; Self-perceptions.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The conceptual model. All prior levels of the primary mediator (competence) and outcome variables were controlled.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The final model based on multi-group analysis. Only unstandardized autoregressive paths and other significant structural paths (p values) are presented for clarity. The bolded numbers differed across mothers and fathers (mothers/ fathers). Bolded lines represent paths that are part of indirect effects.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Maternal warmth interacted with authoritativeness to predict adolescent optimism.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Maternal warmth interacted with authoritarianism to predict adolescent self-competence.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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