Concurrent Sessions 7 - (NBCC CE Credit: #1 hr and Conference Attendance Credit: #1 hr)

307-01: The Curvilinear Relationship Between Parental Involvement and Adolescent Life Satisfaction: The Moderating Role of Perceived Autonomy
Peipei Hong, Ming Cui, Carol Darling

Summary
Life satisfaction is a key index of well-being and overall functioning of adolescents. Guided by the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect and self-determination theory, this study examined (1) the curvilinear relationship between parental involvement and adolescent life satisfaction and (2) the moderating role of adolescent perceived autonomy.With a sample of 129 parent-adolescent dyads, results from path analysis suggested (1) there was a quadratic, inverted U-shape association between parental involvement and adolescent life satisfaction; (2) the quadratic association was moderated by adolescent perceived autonomy, such that the inverted U-shape was more salient for adolescents with lower levels of perceived autonomy. Compared to adolescents with higher autonomy, adolescents with lower autonomy tended to experience significantly lower life satisfaction when parental involvement at the low or the high ends.

Objectives
-- To examine the curvilinear effect of parental involvement on adolescent life satisfaction.
-- To examine the moderating effect of perceived autonomy on the curvilinear linkage between parental involvement and adolescent life satisfaction.
-- To inform optiomal parentla invo,ement and to promote adolescents' well-being

Subject Codes: family processes, parenting, well-being
Population Codes: adolescence, African Americans, Caucasian/White
Method and Approach Codes: path analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM), quantitative methodology

307-02: What Are We Fighting About? Patterns in Sources of Adolescent-Parent Conflict and Longitudinal Associations With Adolescent Adjustment and Family Functioning
Emily Simpson, Greg Fosco

Summary
Although most adolescent-parent conflict stems from everyday topics, discrepant patterns of conflict about everyday topics, problem behaviors and illegal activities may forecast poorer adolescent adjustment and family functioning. Latent profile analysis was used to examine patterns of adolescent and parent report of conflict about everyday topics, problem behaviors, and illegal activities in an early adolescent sample (N= 509; 53% girls). Profiles emerged characterized by 1) Average Conflict-Adolescent Higher, 2) Low Conflict- Parent Higher, 3) Average Conflict- Parent Higher, and 4) High Conflict- Adolescent Higher. Further analyses revealed that profiles predicted later recurring conflict and adolescent externalizing problems, suggesting that patterns of discordant adolescent-parent report of conflict about everyday topics, problem behaviors, and illegal activities signal relational and adjustment problems for youth and families.

Objectives
-- To identify discrepant patterns of adolescent-parent conflict in an early adolescent sample, informed by Family Systems Theory
-- To examine how discrepant patterns are associated with recurring conflict and adolescent externalizing problems over time.
-- To identify problematic patterns of adolescent-parent conflict across sources, for targeting by future family-based intervention programs

Subject Codes: parent-child relationships
Population Codes: adolescence
Method and Approach Codes: longitudinal research

307-03: Family? Friends? School? Future? a Mediated Pathway Model About the Relationship Between Connectedness, Future Expectations, and Suicide
Loren Taylor, Amber Vennum, Michelle Toews

Summary
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10-19. This study aims to understand protective factors, such as belongingness and future expectations. Using a sample of Midwest teenagers, we measured connectedness to family, friends, and school, future life expectations, and suicide. A mediated pathway model was used to examine the effects of connectedness on suicidality directly and indirectly through future expectations, with moderation by dichotomous biological sex. Results indicated that some forms of connectedness are highly associated with future expectations, while school and family connectedness is negatively associated with suicide. Overall, our results express the need for further school and family interventions, to build stronger connections between family members and students in hopes to decrease suicide.

Objectives
-- To explore the protective factors of connectedness and future expectations
-- To discover possible sex differences when looking at these protective factors
-- To discover better intervention points for suicide prevention

Subject Codes: suicide, family processes, mental health
Population Codes: adolescence, K-12
Method and Approach Codes: quantitative methodology, structural equation modeling (SEM), path analysis

307-04: Military Stressors, Parent-Adolescent Relationship Quality, and Adolescent Adjustment
Meredith Farnsworth, Catherine O'Neal

Summary
Drawing from social ecological theory and attachment theory, the current study examined the associations between military stressors (e.g., parental rank, combat deployments) and adolescent psychosocial health (e.g., depressive symptoms, self-efficacy) along with examining parent-adolescent relationship quality with both the active duty and civilian parents as a linking mechanism. Data from Army families (n=265) were examined using path analysis. Results showed that most military stressors were not related to parent-child relationship quality of either parent or indicators of adolescent psychosocial health. Parent-adolescent relationship quality with each parent was uniquely related to indicators of adolescent psychosocial health. Discussion will be provided regarding how military stressors and familial factors are conceptualized within the context of military families along with suggestions for future research, family therapy, and policies.

Objectives
-- To assess the role of military stressors for adolescent adjustment within the context of military families
-- To identify the role of parent-adolescent relationship quality with service member and civilian parents for adolescent adjustment within military families
-- To identify the implications of study findings related to military stress and parent-adolescent relationship quality in the context of intervention and prevention work by policymakers and helping professionals

Subject Codes: context, parent-child relationships, stress
Population Codes: adolescence, military family, military service
Method and Approach Codes: path analysis, mediation/indirect effects models, secondary data analysis

Facilitator: Jennifer Doty