Collaborative Research: Parental influence on risky behavior and decision-making in adolescent girls

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Adolescence is a time in which many engage in risky decision-making, as evidenced by increased rates of car accidents, crime, binge drinking and other negative health behaviors. It is therefore critical to understand the life experiences and pathways that influence these risky behaviors in adolescents. The social context (e.g., parents, peers) may be a critical component for understanding adolescent decision-making and risk-taking behaviors. For example, several previous studies have shown that paternal absence or disengagement can be risk factors for risky behaviors and decision-making in daughters. Although research has established this phenomenon, the causal nature of this relationship has not been determined. Additionally, it is unclear what proximal psychological changes occur in response to paternal absence or disengagement that promote these negative outcomes. Dr. Bruce Ellis (University of Arizona), Dr. Sarah Hill (Texas Christian University), and their colleagues will combine a powerful natural experiment with five rigorous laboratory experiments to examine the role of paternal engagement in regulating daughters' attitudes and decision-making.Through integration of theory and methods from evolutionary, developmental, and social psychology, the proposed research will test for causation and mechanism. Such knowledge is potentially transformative because it could help move the field toward a more comprehensive understanding of the developmental contexts and intervening mechanisms through which risky behaviors and decision-making occur. This interdisciplinary approach will foster synergistic, integrative connections between different research domains. Additionally, the proposed research will involve training for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers.