Study Examines Parents’ Influence

Newswise — A study at the UAB Center for the Advancement of Youth Health aims to give researchers a better understanding of the relationship between parenting and the occurrence of teen delinquency and substance use. Researchers will examine data from an existing national survey of more than 4,000 teens who were monitored from ages 11 to 14 to determine the influence of parenting styles and supervision on delinquency and substance use in early adolescence. The study will focus on black, Hispanic and white children, said co-investigator UAB psychologist Michael Windle, Ph.D. "A limited number of studies have examined similarities and differences in the parent-child relationship across these three racial and ethnic groups. Such information may prove valuable in guiding intervention programs designed to reduce delinquency and substance use."