1. Assertion of Influence (Age 16)
Longitudinal Social Implications of Promoting and Undermining Autonomy
in Mother-Adolescent Interactions
Kathleen McElhaney, Jill Antonishak & Joe Allen
We would like to thank NIMH for
funding awarded to
Joseph P. Allen, Principal Investigator (#R01-MH58066)
INTRODUCTION: Past research has demonstrated that promotion vs. undermining of autonomy within parent-adolescent relationships has differential consequences for adolescent emotional and behavioral development.
However, much of this work assesses autonomy functioning at only one time point, without consideration of the developmental changes in autonomy needs that are assumed to occur during adolescence.
SAMPLE (N=184): 86 males, 98 females (and their mothers and close friends)
Mean age T1: 13.4 yrs (sd = 0.6); Mean age T4: 16.4 yrs (sd = 0.9)
MEASURES
Autonomy & Relatedness Coding System (observational) (Allen et.al, 2000 )
Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (peer-report) (Buhrmester et.al, 1988)
Peer Influence Questionnaire (self-report) (Marsh et.al, 1999)
HYPOTHESIS: It was expected that the relation between maternal behaviors promoting vs. undermining adolescents’ autonomy and adolescents’ social functioning would be moderated by the age of the adolescent.
RESULTS
UNDERMINING AUTONOMY
There was a significant interaction with regard to mothers’ behaviors undermining autonomy (b= -.32, p<.001), such that:
Adolescents whose mothers exhibited high levels of undermining autonomy at age 13 but low levels at age 16 reported the lowest levels of negative peer influence at age 16 (Figure 1).
In contrast, adolescents whose mothers exhibited low levels of undermining autonomy at age 13, but high levels at age 16 reported the greatest relative increases in negative peer influence over time (Figure 1).
PROMOTING AUTONOMY
Both mothers’ and adolescents’ behaviors promoting autonomy at age 13 were significantly predictive of increases in teens’ ability to assert their influence with peers over time, as reported by their close friends (See Table 1).
Neither mothers’ nor adolescents’ behaviors promoting autonomy at age 16 contributed to the prediction of changes in ability to assert influence with peers.
FIGURE 1
TABLE 1
Peer Report
Assertion of Influence (Age 16) b
Entry
Final
DR2
Total R2
Peer Report Assertion of Influence (Age 13)
.11
.09
.01
.04
Mothers’ Promotion of Autonomy (Age 13)
.26**
Adolescents’ Promotion of Autonomy (Age 13)
.27**
.12**
.16**