The role of family factors and self-regulation: Problem behavior in Georgian adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the psychosocial factors of adolescents’ problem behavior. Within this research, the relationships among family structure, parental modeling, parental monitoring, and adolescents’ self-regulation were assessed. Data were collected by self-report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 150 participants aged 14 to 17. Sixty adolescents were in conflict with the law, and the other 90 adolescents who did not have such a contact with the legal system. Results show that more adolescents in conflict with the law live in single-parent families than their peers who do not have a similar experience. At the same time, adolescents living with single parents have a higher mean score of problem behavior and a lower mean score of parental monitoring. Correlational and regression analyses revealed that parents’ problem behavior models and parental monitoring are statistically significant predictors of adolescents’ problem behavior. In the present study, self-regulation was revealed to be a significant correlate of adolescents’ problem behavior, and that family factors mediate the relationship between self-regulation and problem behavior. Results also confirm the importance of an approach for the prevention of deviant behavior focused primarily on family supporting measures.