Parent Social Engagement: Associations with early adolescents' social skills and social anxiety

Abstract

Frequency of parent social engagement (PSE) was examined as a predictor of early adolescents' friendship-specific social skills (FSSS). The author hypothesized a stronger relation between PSE and FSSS would exist for more (compared to less) socially anxious early adolescents and a similar relation would be evident for female (compared to male) early adolescents. Data were collected from early adolescents, a parent, and a close friend. Results indicated an inverse relation between non-familial PSE and adolescents' FSSS. In addition, results showed an inverse relation between PSE and FSSS depending on adolescents' level of social anxiety. More socially anxious adolescents whose parents frequently engaged in social activities with extended family members demonstrated better FSSS than those whose parents engaged in familial social activities less often. The opposite relation was reported for less socially anxious adolescents. Implications for findings include techniques improving friendship-specific social skills of early adolescents with varying social anxiety levels.