Impact of Maternal Relationship Quality on Emerging Adults' Prosocial Tendencies: Indirect Effects via Regulation of Prosocial Values

• NCJ Number: 222728
• Journal: Journal of Youth and Adolescence Volume: 37 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 581-591
• Author(s): Carolyn McNamara Barry; Laura M. Padilla-Walker; Stephanie D. Maden; Larry J. Nelson
• Date Published: May 2008
• Length: 11 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Brigham Young University; Loyola University Maryland
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study investigated how mother-child relationship quality was related in prosocial tendencies via emerging adults' regulation of prosocial values.

Abstract

Findings revealed that mother-child relationship quality was related to the emerging adults' regulation of prosocial values, which in turn was related to prosocial tendencies. The findings contribute to an understanding of young people as they transition to adulthood by documenting the continued importance of parents, namely mothers, and the laws of their children. The findings offered preliminary support for a socialization process via regulation of values by which parents still matter in children's lives, despite fewer opportunities for direct supervision and content. In addition, findings highlight the emerging adults' regulation of prosocial values as an important predictor of prosocial tendencies and document the importance of research which more carefully explores correlates of emerging adults' individual values and beliefs. Parents serve as children's primary socialization agents, particularly for moral development in prosocial behavior. Data were collected from two to eight undergraduate students ranging from 18 to 25 years old, 90 percent European-American, and their mothers ranging in age from 38 to 59 years old from four locations across United States. Tables, references