Strength‐Based Parenting and Relationship Quality in Latine Families Facing Justice System Risk
Caitlin Cavanagh, Natasha Chlebuch, April Gile ThomasABSTRACT
Objective
To examine whether parenting practices that are shaped by culturally embedded value systems (responsiveness, autonomy granting, and affective warmth) and familism are associated with parent–adolescent relationship quality among Latine youth, and whether these associations differ by youth justice involvement and gender.
Background
Evidence suggests that positive parenting practices are protective for adolescent development; however, there has been little research investigating the role of parenting behaviors on the quality of the parent–child relationship among justice‐involved Latine youth.
Methods
Participants included 160 Latine parent–adolescent dyads from El Paso, Texas, recruited through the Adolescent Social Development and Sleep Study; 48% of youth had been arrested.
Results
Responsive parenting, autonomy granting, and parental warmth were each significantly associated with higher parent–adolescent relationship quality. Familism was not significantly associated with relationship quality. Arrest history was associated with lower relationship quality, but positive parenting practices were more strongly associated with relationship quality among justice‐involved youth than among non‐arrested youth. Youth gender also moderated effects, with autonomy granting and warmth more strongly associated with relationship quality for boys than for girls. Parent gender did not moderate associations.
Conclusion
Positive parenting practices were consistently associated with stronger parent–adolescent relationships, particularly for justice‐involved Latine youth.
Implications
Findings support culturally responsive, strengths‐based interventions that reinforce warmth, responsiveness, and autonomy support among Latine families involved in the juvenile justice system.