(PS12-15) Bidirectional Associations Among Externalizing Behaviors and Neighborhood and Family Risk and Protective Factors Across Adolescence

Extensive literature documents the profound impact of environmental factors on adolescent development. Family and neighborhood risk factors each contribute to externalizing behaviors, such as aggression and delinquency. Neighborhood risk factors, such as crime, disorder, and low collective efficacy, can disrupt family dynamics, leading to negative parent-child interactions.  Negative parent-adolescent relationships characterized by harsh parenting and a lack of involvement, warmth, and trust are often associated with increased externalizing behaviors. Conversely, positive parent-adolescent relationships could mitigate the negative impact of neighborhood risk factors. Nevertheless, few prospective studies have examined these associations perspectively among diverse samples of at-risk youth. The current study prospectively examined the bidirectional associations among neighborhood risk, parent-adolescent relationship dimensions, and adolescent externalizing behaviors during adolescence. 

Participants were 1136 adolescent–caregiver dyads (52% female; 55% Black, 25% White 7% Hispanic/Latino) who participated in the five site Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). LONGSCAN recruited participants who were identified as being at risk for family violence before child age 4 years. The current study included dyads who completed interviews at ages 12, 14 and/or 16. Forty-four percent of participants reported incomes below the federal poverty limit for the years during which they completed the interviews. Caregivers reported neighborhood risk, harsh parenting, and youth externalizing behaviors and youth reported caregiver involvement and relationship quality. Structural equation modeling was used to test auto-regressive cross-lagged models across time points. 

Contrary to hypotheses, neighborhood risk did not predict an increase in harsh parenting (ps > .05). Neither neighborhood risk nor harsh parenting predicted an increase in adolescent externalizing behaviors over time (ps > .05). However, parental involvement and relationship quality were related to externalizing behaviors over time. Externalizing behaviors at age 12 were associated with less parental involvement, β = .10, p = .011,  and relationship quality, β = .13, p < .001, at age 14.  More parental involvement at age 12 was associated with an increase in parent-adolescent relationship quality at age 14, β = .10, p = .008. Finally, better parent-adolescent relationship quality at age 14  was associated with a decrease in externalizing behaviors at age 16, β = .08, p = .009. 

The findings of this study have significant implications for interventions aimed at promoting positive youth development and mental health in urban communities. Parental involvement and relationship quality emerged as key factors in decreasing externalizing behaviors in this sample of at-risk adolescents from families with limited socioeconomic resources. Findings underscore the importance of strengthening parent-adolescent bonds regardless of family and neighborhood risks. Interventions designed to promote parental warmth and positive parenting practices are crucial for supporting positive behavioral development among at-risk adolescents.