Observed Autonomy And Connection With Parents And Peers As Predictors Of Early Adolescent Sexual...

Observed Autonomy And Connection With Parents And

Peers As Predictors Of Early Adolescent Sexual Adaptation

Joseph P. Allen Felicia Hall

University of Virginia

Other Collaborators:Heather TencerChristy McFarlandAndrea Cole

Maryfrances PorterPenny MarshFarah Williams

Martin HoJess MeyerMindy Schmidt

Copies Today’s Talk & Related Papers are available at:faculty.virginia.edu/allen

Theoretical Perspective

The adolescent transition in seeking intimacy, affection and support:

• From parents, to peers and (eventually) to romantic partners

• An “intimacy and affection gap” in early adolescence?

• Teens try to rely on parents less, but peer relationships are still slowly developing

• Same-gender peer relations may help fill this intimacy gap as may parents, to a decreasing degree.

Overarching Hypothesis:

Early adolescents will seek intimacy prematurely from romantic relationships when they are not able to obtain it with parents and same-gender peers.

Central Question:

Do high quality close relationships with parents and peers predict a slower onset of dating and sexual behavior?

If so, which aspects of these relationships are most important?

Sample

• 148 Adolescents, their Parents and Best Friends

• Assessed Annually, Beginning at Age 13

• Equal numbers of Males and Females

• Community-based Sample from a small urban area.

• 31% African American; 69% European American

• Highly Socio-economically Diverse (Median Family Income= $38,000)

Measures: Dating & Sex

Dating Behavior

• Computer-assisted Interviewing to maintain anonymity

• 5-items, Assessing Dating History and Low-level romantic/sexual behavior (e.g., holding hands, kissing, etc.)

• Summed into a single overall scale.

• Mean at Wave 1 (age 13): 12.56 s.d. = 8.80




Sexual Behavior

• Computer-assisted Interviewing to maintain anonymity

• Multiple questions about intercourse, but focus here on presence or absence of a history of consensual sexual intercourse.

• Sexually Active at Age 13: 10.3%• Sexually Active at Age 14: 13.7%• Sexually Active at Age 15: 23.4%


Attitudes Toward Sexual Behavior

• Assessed for Both Mothers and Adolescents

• “At What Age Are Each of the Following Appropriate:• referring to someone as a boyfriend/girlfriend• going out on dates in groups• going out on dates alone • kissing• falling in love• having sex

• Items are averaged to yield an overall measure of Liberal Attitudes (e.g., activities are appropriate at younger ages.)

• Mother and Teen Values are significantly correlated: r = .52***, but…

Mean Age (Years) at Which Mothers and Adolescents See Different Romantic Behaviors as Acceptable:

Behavior

Maternal

Views (yrs)

Adolescent

Views (yrs)

Referring to someone as a boyfriend/girlfriend

14.9 12.6

Going out on dates in groups

14.5 12.8

Going out on dates alone 16.0 13.8

Kissing a boyfriend/girlfriend

15.9 13.6

Falling in Love 17.8 15.2

Having Sex 19+ 18.3

Behavior

Maternal

Views (yrs)

Adolescent

Views (yrs)

Actual Incidence

by Age 13

Referring to someone as a boyfriend/girlfriend

14.9 12.6 94.5%

Going out on dates in groups 14.5 12.8

57%Going out on dates alone 16.0 13.8

Kissing a boyfriend/girlfriend 15.9 13.6 64%

Falling in Love 17.8 15.2 ---

Having Sex 19+ 18.3 10.3%

Maternal Views of Acceptable Ages for Various Behaviors vs.Actual Incidence of Behaviors by Age 13

Predictions from Adolescent Attitudes at Age 13 to Change in Dating Behavior from Age 13 to Age 15

Adolescent Dating Experience by Age 15

R2 Total R2 Step I.

Dating Behavior (Age 13) .64*** .41*** .41***

Step II.Teen Attitudes

about Romantic Behavior

.19** .05** .46***

Note: weights are from variable’s entry into model.

Teen Attitudes Predict Changes in Dating Behavior from Age 13 to Age 15.

Hypothesized Relationship Predictors of Adolescent Dating and Sexual Behavior

• Competence with:

• Autonomy Establishing Behaviors

• Relatedness/Connection Maintaining Behaviors



• Autonomy Establishing Behaviors:

• Observing a Disagreement in a Revealed Differences Task

• Coded via Autonomy & Relatedness Coding System (Allen et al., 1998)

– Can disagreements be handled in a way that preserves both members’ autonomy and sense of relatedness with one another?



• Connection-Promoting Behaviors:

• 8-minute task conducted separately with– Adolescents and their Mothers– Adolescents and their Closest Friend

• Discussing a Topic about which the Teen “would like some help.” – Discussions cover a broad range of topics selected by the teen (e.g.,

how to earn income, to peer teasing, to academic issues)

Measures: Supportive Behavior Interaction Task(Crowell et al., in press; Julien, Markman et al., 1997)

• Coded for:

• Emotional support provided by parent or peer

• Degree of Engagement with other person in the interaction

• Listener’s Accurate Interpretation of the problem

• Apparent Teen Satisfaction with Interaction

Predictions from Competence with Autonomy Tasks:

No Predictions Were Found

• The scales from the Autonomy & Relatedness Coding System were consistently and robustly not linked to adolescent dating or sexual behavior.

• Handling of disagreements with parents is not linked to adolescent dating and sexual behavior in early adolescence

Predictions from Satisfaction withSupportive Interaction Task with Mothers (Age 13)

Adolescent Dating Experience by Age 14

R2 Total R2 Step I.

Age .25*Gender (1=M 2=F) -.09

.08* .08*

Step II.Satisfaction with Maternal Support -.21* .04* .12**

Note: weights are from variable’s entry into model.

Early Dating is Predicted by Observed Lack of Satisfaction with Maternal Support

Predictions from Peer Engagement withSupportive Interaction Task with Closest Friend (Age 13)

Adolescent Sexual Experience by Age 14

2 Odds ratio

Age .16 1.14 1.57

Gender (1=M 2=F) -.16 1.22 0.57

Peer Engagement -.34** 5.93 0.46**

Note: Predictions are based on logistic regressions predicting presence vs. absence of history of consensual sexual intercourse.

Early Sexual Experience is Predicted by Observed Lack of a Close Friend’s Engagement in a Support Task

Predictions from Peer Interpretation Skill inSupportive Interaction Task with Closest Friend (Age 13)

Early Sexual Experience is Predicted by Close Friend’s Inability to Interpret Teen Calls for Support Accurately.


2 Odds ratio

Age .13 .77 1.43

Gender (1=M 2=F) -.18 1.51 0.53

Peer Interpretation Skill -.27* 4.35* 0.55*

Predictions from Teen Engagement inSupportive Interaction Task with Closest Friend (Age 13)

Early Sexual Experience is Predicted by Observed Lack of Teen’s Engagement with a Close Friend.


2 Odds ratio

Age .14 .94 1.49

Gender (1=M 2=F) -.14 1.08 0.59

Teen Engagement -.27* 3.80* 0.52*

Predictions from Teen Satisfaction with Supportive Interaction Task with Closest Friend (Age 13)

Early Sexual Experience is Predicted by Teens’ Lack of Satisfaction with Interactions with Closest Friend when asking for Support.


2 Odds ratio

Age .13 .81 1.46

Gender (1=M 2=F) -.15 1.19 0.57

Teen Satisfaction -.32* 4.64* 0.44*

Predictions from Maternal Engagement inSupportive Interaction Task with Mothers (Age 13)

Early Sexual Experience is Predicted by Observed Lack of Maternal Engagement with Teens’ in a Supportive Behavior Task.


2 Odds ratio

Age .22 1.09 1.88

Gender (1=M 2=F) .01 0.00 1.03

Maternal Engagement -.50** 5.88** 0.35**

Conjoint role of Maternal & Peer Engagement in Predicting Adolescent Sexual Behavior

Maternal Engagement

Teen Engagement

Adolescent Sexual Behavior

-.27*.33**

Prediction of Teen Attitudes Toward Romantic/Sexual Behavior

Adolescent Romantic Attitudes by Age 15 R2 Total R2

Step I.Age .23Gender (1=M 2=F) .05 .10* .10*

Step II.

Maternal Engagement -.24* .06* .16**Step III.

Maternal Romantic Attitudes.48***

.15*** .31***

Step IV.

Maternal Attitude X Engagement -.22* .05* .36***Maternal Attitudes & Engagement Interact to Predict Teen Attitudes.

-0.8

-0.6

-0.4

-0.2

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0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

Lib

eral

Ado

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ent

Att

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Prediction of Teen Attitudes Toward Romantic Behaviors from Maternal Attitudes X Maternal

Engagement

Conservative Maternal Attitudes

Liberal Maternal Attitudes

Low Maternal Engagement

High Maternal Engagement

Prediction of Changes in Teen Attitudes Toward Romantic/Sexual Behavior

Adolescent Romantic Attitudes by Age 14 R2 Total R2

Step I.

Adolescent Attitudes at Age 13.71***

.52*** .52***

Step II. DemographicsAge .12*Gender (1=M 2=F) .03 .01+ .53***

Step III.

Adolescent Engagement with Peer -.12* .02* .55***

Engagement with Peers Predicts Increasingly Conservative Attitudes.

Predictors of Adolescent Dating & Sexual Behavior

• Overarching Conclusion:

Qualities of Adolescent’s NON-Sexual relationships are good predictors of dating and sexual behavior

• Specific Findings:• Autonomy processes do not generally appear as predictors of dating

or sexual behavior

• A Strong Connection to Parents and Peers is the most consistent predictor of avoidance of early dating and sex.

Predictors of Adolescent Dating & Sexual Behavior

Limitations

• Longitudinal analyses do not support causal inferences

• Need to consider other aspects of peer relations• Have not yet examined autonomy in peer relations

• Predictors of behavior at age 14 may be different from those later in adolescence

Copies of Today’s Talk & Related Papers are available at:faculty.virginia.edu/allen

Observed Autonomy And Connection With Parents And Peers As Predictors Of Early Adolescent Sexual...

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