A comparative study of the impact of parental involvement, peer relationships, and adult mentors on the character development of adolescents

Abstract

Character development is core in building a moral society and in the development of an individual (Lickona, 1996; Park, 2009). Building character is a continual developmental process across the lifespan and is subject to a myriad of influences. Character is often defined as the respect an individual has for the rules of the community and cultural surroundings (Lerner, 2007; Lerner et al., 2006; Phelps et al., 2009; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003; Snyder & Flay, 2012). Lickona’s theory of character (1999) distinguishes character development as a continual work in progress, and the morality of an individual contributes “to the cognitive element of character” (2001, p. 246). Additionally, Bronfenbrenner’s (1986; Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 1998) bioecological model more specifically identifies the potential relationships within the microsystem as well as between the elements of the microsystem and youth that affect character. The purpose of this study was first, to examine the predictive nature of specific elements of the microsystem including peer relationships, parental involvement, and adult mentors on the development of character during adolescence and, secondly, to examine the change in variance explained by these specific elements on the development of character over time during the high school years. Data to address these questions were drawn from Lerner and colleagues’ (2005) 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses reveal parental involvement to be significant in predicting youth’s self-assessed character during their senior year, and each year between the freshman and senior years. The effects of peer relationships are significant only during the freshmen, sophomore, and senior years. Adult mentors reach positive significance only during the freshman year. When control variables are added, adult mentors are negatively significant during the junior and senior years. Results suggest parent’ involvement in predicting character is more enduring than peer relationships, which is consistent with previous research (Lickona, 2001; Park, 2004). With adult mentors reaching significance for only one year and with the other two years being negatively significant, the results of this study contradict what other research suggests as adult mentors’ integral role in youth development, particularly with frequent engagement in extracurricular activities wherein youth interact with adult advisors. Additional research is needed to understand specifically the role of adult mentors in character development, as well as other developmental areas of high school adolescents.