Parenting Risk and Protective Factors in the Development of Conduct Problems in Seven Countries

Abstract

This study advances the understanding of risk and protective factors in trajectories of conduct problems in adolescence in seven countries that differ widely on a number of sociodemographic factors as well as norms related to adolescent behavior. Youth- and parent-report data from 988 adolescents in seven countries (Colombia, Italy, Kenya, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, and the USA) who were followed longitudinally from ages 10 to 18 (yielding 6872 total data points) were subject to latent class growth analysis. A 4-class model provided the best fit to the data: Late Starters, Alcohol Experimenters, Mid-Adolescent Starters, and Pervasive Risk Takers. The probability of membership in each class differed by country in ways that were generally consistent with country-specific norms and expectations regarding adolescent behavior. Positive parenting was associated with a lower likelihood of adolescents’ membership in the Pervasive Risk Takers class, whereas psychological control, monitoring/behavioral control, and autonomy granting were associated with a higher likelihood of membership in the Pervasive Risk Takers class. Associations between parenting and membership in the other classes suggest that some risk taking during adolescence is normative even when parenting is positive.