Publication details
Maternal support and deviance among rural adolescents: The mediating role of self-esteem
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2018 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Journal of Adolescence |
| Citation | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.09.003 |
| Keywords | Maternal support; Self-esteem; Deviance; Rural youth; Mediation; Moderation |
| Description | Introduction: Supportive mothering buffers against adolescent deviance, but the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood. The current investigation tested the extent to which self-esteem mediated the maternal support-deviance link and whether it varied by adolescent age and sex. ' Methods: Data were collected from 911 middle and high school students in the rural South (53.6% female, Mage = 14.70 years). Main model tests were completed in SEM. Results: Results indicated that maternal support and self-esteem were positively associated and negatively to deviance, and that self-esteem mediated the support-deviance link. These associations did not differ by adolescent age. However, moderating effects by sex were significant, where maternal support had a greater effect on girls' self-esteem, while self-esteem had a greater effect on boys' deviance. Conclusions: Findings provide some evidence of how maternal support is associated with a positive self-concept that in turn decreases the likelihood of engaging in deviant behaviors. |