Father Involvement and Adolescent Internalizing and Externalizing Behaviors: a Moderated Mediation Model of Adolescent Social Competence and Peer Influence.

Abstract

Adolescents' internalizing and externalizing behaviors are among the most prevalent mental health challenges worldwide, yet the factors associated with these behaviors remain under-explored in many contexts, including Ethiopia. Father involvement is an important but often overlooked correlate of adolescent social competence and behavioral outcomes. This study examines the associations between father involvement and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing behaviors, focusing on the potential mediating role of adolescent social competence and the moderating role of peer pressure in these relationships. Data were collected from 516 adolescents (mean age = 14.77 ± 0.71; 52.52% male, 47.48% female) in grades 9-12, along with their fathers. A moderated mediation analysis using regression-based path analysis (Hayes' PROCESS Model 15) was conducted to test the hypothesized conditional process model. Adolescent social competence partially explained the association between father involvement and adolescents' internalizing and externalizing behaviors (indirect effect =  - 0.31, 95% CI [- 0.388, - 0.212]). Additionally, peer pressure moderated both the direct association between father involvement and behavioral outcomes (interaction β =  - 0.03, p < .05) and the second stage of the indirect pathway (interaction β = 0.03, p < .05). The protective associations of father involvement and social competence were approximately 22-27% weaker in high peer-pressure environments compared to low peer-pressure contexts. These findings identify patterns of association consistent with theoretical models highlighting the interplay of family and peer factors in adolescent mental health. However, given the cross-sectional design, causal conclusions cannot be drawn.