Constructive parent-child interactions and deviant acceptance of at-risk adolescent girls: A mediation of perceived hopeful future

The family is the most fundamental socialization context influential on adolescent development. Nevertheless, there is little knowledge regarding different facets of parent-child interaction in relation to acceptance of deviant behavior in at-risk adolescent girls. In this study, we investigated parental support, parent-child relationship quality, and family integration, which are three core components of constructive parent-child interaction, in contribution to the acceptance of deviant behavior of at-risk adolescent girls through the mediator of anticipation of a hopeful future. With data based on a sample of 236 at-risk adolescent girls, results showed that parental support, parent-child relationship quality, and family integration were significantly and robustly predictive of lower acceptance of deviant behavior. Moreover, higher anticipation of a hopeful future of at-risk adolescent girls, in which the latter significantly mediated the effects of parental support, parent-child relationship quality, and family integration on at-risk adolescent girls' acceptance of deviant behavior. In addition, when parental support, parent-child relationship quality, and family integration were concurrently loaded on a latent construct of constructive family interaction, a stronger direct effect and a mediating effect through perception of a hopeful future were significant in relation with the acceptance. This exhibits the interrelated and mutually reinforced nature of different facets of constructive parent-child interaction in shaping deviant development in at-risk adolescent girls. © 2020 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc.