Parent–adolescent discrepancies in positive parenting and adolescent problem behaviors in Chinese families

Abstract

Based on the discrepancy–maladaptive hypothesis and general strain theory, in this study, we examined two key aspects: first, the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between parent–adolescent discrepancies in positive parenting and adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems, and second, variations in problem behavior among subgroups with different parent–adolescent dyads reporting patterns. The participants were 349 intact Chinese families, with parents as the primary caregivers and teenagers aged 15–18 years who are attending secondary vocational schools. The results revealed that adolescents generally perceived lower levels of caring and behavioral control than parents. Compared to behavioral control, discrepancies in perceived levels of caring had more significant predicting levels of internalizing and externalizing problems, and the relationship between discrepancies of caring and internalizing and externalizing problems was mediated by self-control. Latent profile analysis revealed three parent–adolescent responding patterns (subgroups); compared to the other subgroups, only the subgroup characterized by adolescents perceiving lower caring and behavioral control than parents exhibited higher levels of internalizing and externalizing problems. The findings of this study provide insights on how parent–adolescent discrepancies may lead to adolescent problem behaviors and highlight the importance of self-control as a mediating mechanism.

Keywords

• Positive parenting style
• Perceptional discrepancies
• Secondary vocational school students
• Internalizing and externalizing behaviors
• Self-control