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Author: Fohl Bailey, Mary Elizabeth
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Fohl Bailey, Mary Elizabeth
Individual Differences in the Trajectories of Early Adolescent Development and in the Adjustment to the Transition of Adolescence
Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1996
Cohort(s): Children of the NLSY79, NLSY79
Publisher: UMI - University Microfilms, Bell and Howell Information and Learning
Keyword(s): Alcohol Use; Behavior Problems Index (BPI); Behavioral Problems; Children, Behavioral Development; Drug Use; Family Environment; Parent-Child Relationship/Closeness; Self-Esteem; Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC); Youth Problems

The purpose of the present study was to create trajectories of early adolescent development in the areas of self-esteem and problem behaviors and to assess the ability of several family environment factors and previous self-esteem/problem behaviors to discriminate between trajectories of early adolescent development. Information collected from 1986 to 1990 from 271 adolescents and their mothers were analyzed. The family environment factors measured included: family life events, maternal adjustment, and parent-child relationship. A 4-cluster solution of self-esteem trajectories and a 6-cluster solution of problem behavior trajectories were created using 1988 and 1990 data. Results indicated that previous self-esteem/problem behaviors and the parent-child relationship discriminated between self-esteem and problem behavior trajectories of development. Previous self-esteem and frequency of parent-child discussions were higher in the consistently high group than in the other three groups. Follow-forward analyses of problem behavior trajectories revealed that a higher, previous level of problem behaviors and more frequent parent-child arguments differentiated the consistently high, average to high increase, and consistently average-slight clusters from the consistently average-slight increase, average to low decrease, and consistently low clusters. Follow-back examination of trajectories demonstrated that both self-esteem and problem behavior trajectories were discriminated by 1990 report of parent-child discussions and arguments. Adolescents in the low to lower decrease self-esteem cluster had less frequent parent-child discussions and more frequent parent-child arguments than adolescents in the other three clusters. Less frequent parent-child discussions and more frequent parent-child arguments discriminated the consistently high, consistently average-slight decrease, and consistently low problem behavior trajectories from the consistently average-slight increase, average to low decrease, and average to high increase problem behavior trajectories. Results were discussed in terms of previous research findings. Finally, several suggestions were made about future studies of early adolescent development.
Bibliography Citation
Fohl Bailey, Mary Elizabeth. Individual Differences in the Trajectories of Early Adolescent Development and in the Adjustment to the Transition of Adolescence. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1996.