Closer parent teen relationships can have long term health benefits

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-03-22 02:00

International

Teens who say they have a better relationship with their parents also report better general health as young adults, according to international research. The study found better long-term health outcomes were linked with teens who said their parents were warm and loving, had good communication, spent more time with them, and set academic expectations. It also found that for mothers specifically, disciplining teens in a way that sets limits and helps them take ownership of their actions, was also linked to positive health outcomes in adulthood. The researchers say this suggests that improving parent-teen relationships may have substantial benefits for young adult population health.

Media release

From: JAMA

Associations Between Parent-Adolescent Relationships and Young Adult Health

JAMA Network Open
Original Investigation

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is an online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that adolescents’ positive perceptions of their relationships with their mothers and fathers are associated with a wide range of favorable outcomes in young adulthood. Investments in improving parent-adolescent relationships may have substantial benefits for young adult population health.

Authors: Carol A. Ford, M.D., of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is the corresponding author.

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.3944)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, USA

Funder: Primary funding was provided by grant 60721 from The John Templeton Foundation to the Research Core of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. This project was supported in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant T71MC30798 Leadership Education in Adolescent Health. Research reported in this publication was supported by award P2C HD050924 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). This research uses data from the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), which is funded by grant P01 HD31921 from the NICHD, with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations.

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