Adolescent-Parent Agreement on Internalizing, Externalizing and Prosocial Behaviors: Do Age and Gender Matter?

Abstract

This study investigated the extent of adolescent-parent agreement concerning adolescents’ internalizing, externalizing and prosocial behaviors. Adolescents’ age and gender were examined as explanatory factors. The sample comprised 5,224 participants, involving both self-assessments by adolescents (nfemale = 2,726, nmale = 2,498, Mage = 14.29, Minage = 11.00, Maxage = 17.92, SDage = 1.98) and parent reports. We used a multitrait-multimethod model in a confirmatory factor analysis framework to assess the extent of agreement between self-reports and parent reports. Additionally, we used a multiple-indicator correlated trait-correlated method minus one model to explore consistency and specificity. Furthermore, we applied a multiple-indicator, multiple-causes model to examine the predictive effects of age and gender. The findings revealed a moderate level of agreement between adolescents and parents concerning both internalizing and externalizing behaviors, while agreement was slightly lower for prosocial behaviors. Regarding explanatory factors, the results indicated that participants in middle adolescence rated their internalizing behaviors higher compared to those in early adolescence, whereas parents demonstrated an opposite effect. Gender effects were observed for internalizing and prosocial behaviors, with female adolescents self-rating higher than male adolescents. These findings underscore the relevance of using multi-informant assessments of social-emotional experiences and behaviors during childhood and adolescence. Such assessments are important for the development and implementation of preventive and intervention-based systems that aim to support positive health, social, and educational outcomes for adolescents and their parents or caregivers. Compared to prosocial behaviors, less adolescent-parent agreement was observed for internalizing behaviors. Age exhibited opposite effects on internalizing behaviors in parent reports vs. self-reports. Female adolescents exhibit higher levels of internalizing behaviors than what was observed externally by their parents.