Fliaguine Olga, Thuot-Jolicoeur Aurélie, Poulin François, Denault Anne-Sophie, Robitaille Jean, Geoffroy Marie-Claude, Philippe Frederick L
Department of Psychology, University de Québec à Montreal, Montreal, Canada.
Department of Foundations and Practices in Education, Laval University, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
J Adolesc. 2024 Dec;96(8):1781-1792. doi: 10.1002/jad.12379. Epub 2024 Jul 26.
Civic engagement (CE) in adolescence is associated with a higher level of engagement in adulthood and is reported to be beneficial to youth's development and societal well-being. Parents are among the most influential factors in adolescents' lives. This study examined the associations between parents' own civic participation, their negative beliefs toward youth CE and their child's future CE. While prior research documented positive associations between parental civic behaviors and youth CE, the role of parental negative beliefs has remained unexplored and could act as an additional barrier to adolescents' CE.
A total of 234 adolescents (65% girls; mean age = 13.77) and their parents (79% mothers; mean age = 44.20), residing in the Canadian province of Quebec from 2016 to 2019, were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Parents completed measures of their civic activities and their negative beliefs regarding youth CE. Adolescents completed measures of future civic attitudes and behaviors.
Hierarchical regressions revealed significant positive cross-sectional associations between parental civic behaviors and their child's future civic attitudes and behaviors. However, parental negative beliefs toward youth CE were negatively associated with youths' future civic attitudes and behaviors, even after considering parental civic behaviors and family socioeconomic status. Adolescents' age did not moderate these relationships.
These findings highlight the significant role that parents could play in shaping CE of future generations. Interventions promoting youth CE should thus target both adolescents and their parents.
青少年时期的公民参与（CE）与成年后的更高参与度相关，并且据报道对青少年的发展和社会福祉有益。父母是青少年生活中最具影响力的因素之一。本研究考察了父母自身的公民参与、他们对青少年公民参与的负面信念与孩子未来公民参与之间的关联。虽然先前的研究记录了父母公民行为与青少年公民参与之间的积极关联，但父母负面信念的作用仍未得到探索，并且可能成为青少年公民参与的额外障碍。
本横断面研究招募了2016年至2019年居住在加拿大魁北克省的234名青少年（65%为女孩；平均年龄 = 13.77岁）及其父母（79%为母亲；平均年龄 = 44.20岁）。父母完成了他们公民活动的测量以及他们对青少年公民参与的负面信念的测量。青少年完成了未来公民态度和行为的测量。
分层回归显示父母公民行为与孩子未来公民态度和行为之间存在显著的正横断面关联。然而，即使在考虑了父母公民行为和家庭社会经济地位之后，父母对青少年公民参与的负面信念与青少年未来公民态度和行为呈负相关。青少年的年龄并未调节这些关系。
这些发现凸显了父母在塑造后代公民参与方面可能发挥的重要作用。因此，促进青少年公民参与的干预措施应同时针对青少年及其父母。
