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Cited by 169Youth Development and Social SupportPsychosocial Factors Impacting YouthMentoring and Academic Development

Supportive Non‐Parental Adults and Adolescent Psychosocial Functioning: Using Social Support as a Theoretical Framework

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Sterrett, Emma M., Jones, Deborah J., McKee, Laura G., Kincaid, Carlye·2011·American Journal of Community Psychology
DOI 10.1007/s10464-011-9429-yPMC PMC4439201
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Abstract

Supportive Non-Parental Adults (SNPAs), or non-parental adults who provide social support to youth, are present in the lives of many adolescents; yet to date, a guiding framework for organizing the existing literature on the provision of support provided by multiple types of SNPAS, such as teachers, natural mentors, and extended family members, as well as to inform future research efforts, is lacking. The aim of the current paper is to utilize the well-established lens of social support to integrate, across this broad range of literatures, recent findings regarding associations between SNPAs and four indices of adolescent psychosocial adjustment: academic functioning, self-esteem, and behavioral and emotional problems. Beyond offering an integrative framework for understanding the link between SNPAs and adolescent functioning, the issues reviewed here have potentially far-reaching consequences for adolescents and their families, as well as the professionals working with adolescents and their families in the health care, school, and community settings.

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  • When natural mentors are engaged in problem behavior (substance use, delinquency), youth are more likely to be negatively affected by such deviant behaviors, which may be ascribed to negative role-modeling.

    “Notably, when natural mentors are engaged in problem behavior (i.e., substance use, delinquency), youth are more likely to be negatively affected by such deviant behaviors, which may be ascribed to negative role‐modeling (Chen, Greenberger, Farruggia, Bush, & Dong, 2003; Sterrett, Jones, McKee, & Kincaid, 2011).”

    From Does Natural Mentoring Matter? A Multilevel Meta‐analysis on the Association Between Natural Mentoring and Youth Outcomes (2018) · cites this paper as Sterrett, Jones, McKee, & Kincaid, 2011

    In Behavior Problems > Conduct Problems (page unavailable), the review reports that adolescents who perceive their non-parental adults as engaging in problem behaviors have higher levels of conduct problems. It does not establish that the adults’ behaviors were specifically substance use or delinquency, or attribute the association to negative role-modeling. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Research works printed but not linked: 68

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Authors
Sterrett, E. M., Jones, D. J., McKee, L. G., & Kincaid, C.
Affiliations
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
  • Clark University (US)
Corresponding author
Jones, Deborah J.
ORCID
Venue
American Journal of Community Psychology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-03-08
Volume
48
Issue
3-4
Pages
284-295
ISSN
  • 0091-0562 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-2770
DOI
10.1007/s10464-011-9429-y
PMC
PMC4439201
OpenAlex
W2126994324
Cited by
169
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 2
FWCI
2.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • American Journal of Community Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
  • Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) (submittedVersion)
  • UNC Libraries
Funders
  • American Psychological Association
  • National Institutes of Health
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (T32HD049325, 5 T32 HD-49325-04, T32HD007376)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Psychosocial Factors Impacting Youth
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
Keywords
social support, adolescent adjustment, academic functioning, self-esteem, emotional and behavioral problems, teachers, extended family, youth development, theoretical framework
MeSH terms
Adaptation, Psychological, Adolescent, Psychology, Adolescent, Adult, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Psychological, Self Concept, Social Adjustment, Social Support, Students, United States, Intergenerational Relations

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