School connectedness, parent relationship quality, and adolescent risk behavior

BACKGROUND: Research over the last decade suggests that connections to caring adults, both within and outside the family, are critical components of healthy adolescent development and can reduce the likelihood of involvement in a variety of risk behaviors. However, relatively few studies have examined how different levels of connectedness interact across contexts. This study extends previous research on school connectedness by examining whether it moderates the effect of parent relationship quality on adolescent risk behavior. METHODS: Participants included individuals who participated in Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and had valid survey weights (n=10,906). Logistic and OLS regression analyses were performed using survey commands to assess the relationships among two components of school connectedness (teacher support and social belonging), parent relationship quality, and adolescent substance use, delinquency, and sexual debut. RESULTS: Both school connectedness and parent relationship quality were independently and significantly associated with reduced involvement in all three risk behaviors. Teacher support largely accounted for the protective effect of school connectedness. No significant interaction effects between either component of school connectedness and parent relationship quality were observed. CONCLUSION: While parent relationship quality and school connectedness (particularly teacher support) may independently reduce adolescent involvement in risk behavior, there is no evidence that school connectedness can buffer against the risk associated with poor parental relationships.