Abstract
Previous research examining relationships between parental monitoring, friendship networks, and substance use did not take
into account the gender of both the adolescent and the friends. The goal of this study was to test a mediation model in which
having other-sex friends during mid-adolescence mediates the relationships between parental monitoring in early adolescence
and substance use during late adolescence. We hypothesized that mediation would be observed for girls but not for boys. A
sample of 333 adolescents (60 % girls) was surveyed yearly from ages 12 to 19. The findings provided support for an indirect
relationship (mediation via other-sex friendships) between early adolescent parental monitoring and late adolescent alcohol
use among girls only. That is, for girls, higher levels of parental monitoring lead to fewer other-sex friendships, which
then lead to lower levels of subsequent alcohol use. For drug use, the findings provided support for a direct relationship
between early adolescent parental monitoring and late adolescent drug use for both boys and girls. Thus, parents seem to have
a protective effect on their daughters’ later use of alcohol by limiting inclusion of male friends in their networks.
into account the gender of both the adolescent and the friends. The goal of this study was to test a mediation model in which
having other-sex friends during mid-adolescence mediates the relationships between parental monitoring in early adolescence
and substance use during late adolescence. We hypothesized that mediation would be observed for girls but not for boys. A
sample of 333 adolescents (60 % girls) was surveyed yearly from ages 12 to 19. The findings provided support for an indirect
relationship (mediation via other-sex friendships) between early adolescent parental monitoring and late adolescent alcohol
use among girls only. That is, for girls, higher levels of parental monitoring lead to fewer other-sex friendships, which
then lead to lower levels of subsequent alcohol use. For drug use, the findings provided support for a direct relationship
between early adolescent parental monitoring and late adolescent drug use for both boys and girls. Thus, parents seem to have
a protective effect on their daughters’ later use of alcohol by limiting inclusion of male friends in their networks.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Empirical Research
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s10964-012-9770-y
- Authors
- François Poulin, Département de Psychologie, UQAM, Case postale 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada
- Anne-Sophie Denault, Département de Psychoéducation, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500, boul. de l’Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
- Journal Journal of Youth and Adolescence
- Online ISSN 1573-6601
- Print ISSN 0047-2891