| Abstract: | A common theme in life-span developmental psychology is that during adolescence there is a decrease in parental influence on the child and an increase in peer influence. Researchers who have examined this transition have shown that its dynamics vary with type of behavior. The influence of parents and peers on children's smoking behavior is examined in both preadolescents (398 11-yr-olds) and adolescents (449 14-yr-olds). By using a structural equation model with multiple indicators, methodological problems that have plagued earlier research in this area are avoided. It is concluded that peer influence increases during adolescence. There is also a nonsignificant decrease in parental influence. For preadolescents, parents and peers seem equally influential; for adolescents, peers are more influential. These results have implications for public health intervention programs. (52 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
