Do Parents Foster Self‐Esteem? Testing the Prospective Impact of Parent Closeness on Adolescent Self‐Esteem. Issue 4 (23rd February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Harris, Michelle A.; Gruenenfelder‐Steiger, Andrea E.; Ferrer, Emilio; Donnellan, M. Brent; Allemand, Mathias; Fend, Helmut; Conger, Rand D.; Trzesniewski, Kali H.
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 86:Issue 4(2015)
• Page Start: 995
• Page End: 1013
• Publication Date: 2015-02-23
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12356
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="cdev12356-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Close parent–child relationships are viewed as important for the development of global self‐esteem. Cross‐sectional research supports this hypothesis, but longitudinal studies provide inconsistent prospective effects. The current study uses data from Germany (<italic>N </italic>=<italic> </italic>982) and the United States (<italic>N </italic>=<italic> </italic>451) to test longitudinal relations between parent–child closeness and adolescent self‐esteem. The authors used self‐, parent‐, and observer‐reported parent–child closeness and self‐reported self‐esteem from ages 12 to 16. Results replicated concurrent correlations found in the literature, but six longitudinal models failed to show prospective relations. Thus, the longitudinal effect of parent–child closeness and self‐esteem is difficult to detect with adolescent samples. These findings suggest the need for additional theorizing about influences on adolescent self‐esteem development and longitudinal research with younger samples.</p> </abstract>