Abstract
The authors propose that peer relationships should be included in a life history perspective on adolescent problem behavior. Longitudinal analyses were used to examine deviant peer clustering as the mediating link between attenuated family ties, peer marginalization, and social disadvantage in early adolescence and sexual promiscuity in middle adolescence and childbearing by early adulthood. Specifically, 998 youths, along with their families, were assessed at age 11 years and periodically through age 24 years. Structural equation modeling revealed that the peer-enhanced life history model provided a good fit to the longitudinal data, with deviant peer clustering strongly predicting adolescent sexual promiscuity and other correlated problem behaviors. Sexual promiscuity, as expected, also strongly predicted the number of children by ages 22-24 years. Consistent with a life history perspective, family social disadvantage directly predicted deviant peer clustering and number of children in early adulthood, controlling for all other variables in the model. These data suggest that deviant peer clustering is a core dimension of a fast life history strategy, with strong links to sexual activity and childbearing. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the need to integrate an evolutionary-based model of self-organized peer groups in developmental and intervention science.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 703-717 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| Journal | Developmental Psychology |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2012 |
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Keywords
- Antisocial behavior
- Evolutionary psychology
- Family
- Peer relations
- Sexuality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Life-span and Life-course Studies
- Demography
Cite this
An ecological analysis of the effects of deviant peer clustering on sexual promiscuity, problem behavior, and childbearing from early adolescence to adulthood : An enhancement of the life history framework. / Dishion, Thomas J.; Ha, Phuong; Véronneau, Marie Hélène.
In: Developmental Psychology, Vol. 48, No. 3, 05.2012, p. 703-717.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - An ecological analysis of the effects of deviant peer clustering on sexual promiscuity, problem behavior, and childbearing from early adolescence to adulthood
T2 - An enhancement of the life history framework
AU - Dishion, Thomas J.
AU - Ha, Phuong
AU - Véronneau, Marie Hélène
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - The authors propose that peer relationships should be included in a life history perspective on adolescent problem behavior. Longitudinal analyses were used to examine deviant peer clustering as the mediating link between attenuated family ties, peer marginalization, and social disadvantage in early adolescence and sexual promiscuity in middle adolescence and childbearing by early adulthood. Specifically, 998 youths, along with their families, were assessed at age 11 years and periodically through age 24 years. Structural equation modeling revealed that the peer-enhanced life history model provided a good fit to the longitudinal data, with deviant peer clustering strongly predicting adolescent sexual promiscuity and other correlated problem behaviors. Sexual promiscuity, as expected, also strongly predicted the number of children by ages 22-24 years. Consistent with a life history perspective, family social disadvantage directly predicted deviant peer clustering and number of children in early adulthood, controlling for all other variables in the model. These data suggest that deviant peer clustering is a core dimension of a fast life history strategy, with strong links to sexual activity and childbearing. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the need to integrate an evolutionary-based model of self-organized peer groups in developmental and intervention science.
AB - The authors propose that peer relationships should be included in a life history perspective on adolescent problem behavior. Longitudinal analyses were used to examine deviant peer clustering as the mediating link between attenuated family ties, peer marginalization, and social disadvantage in early adolescence and sexual promiscuity in middle adolescence and childbearing by early adulthood. Specifically, 998 youths, along with their families, were assessed at age 11 years and periodically through age 24 years. Structural equation modeling revealed that the peer-enhanced life history model provided a good fit to the longitudinal data, with deviant peer clustering strongly predicting adolescent sexual promiscuity and other correlated problem behaviors. Sexual promiscuity, as expected, also strongly predicted the number of children by ages 22-24 years. Consistent with a life history perspective, family social disadvantage directly predicted deviant peer clustering and number of children in early adulthood, controlling for all other variables in the model. These data suggest that deviant peer clustering is a core dimension of a fast life history strategy, with strong links to sexual activity and childbearing. The implications of these findings are discussed with respect to the need to integrate an evolutionary-based model of self-organized peer groups in developmental and intervention science.
KW - Antisocial behavior
KW - Evolutionary psychology
KW - Family
KW - Peer relations
KW - Sexuality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84865653443&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84865653443&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0027304
DO - 10.1037/a0027304
M3 - Article
C2 - 22409765
AN - SCOPUS:84865653443
VL - 48
SP - 703
EP - 717
JO - Developmental Psychology
JF - Developmental Psychology
SN - 0012-1649
IS - 3
ER -