NCJ Number
251882
Journal
Health Psychology Volume: 36 Issue: 7 Dated: 2017 Pages: 673-681
Date Published
2017
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships of parenting characteristics and academic achievement in adolescence in relation to ideal cardiovascular health in midlife men.
Abstract
The American Heart Association (AHA) has developed a new metric to evaluate ideal cardiovascular health based on optimal levels of seven cardiovascular risk factors and health behaviors. The current study measured cardiovascular risk factors in 171 Black and 136 White men and their ideal cardiovascular health score was constructed based on AHA guidelines. When the participants were 13-16 years old, annual measures of parent-child communication, positive relationship, parental monitoring, family cohesion, boys' involvement in family activities, and academic achievement were recorded and averaged. Confirmatory factor analysis of adolescent parenting measures revealed a single Parenting Composite. Multiple linear regressions showed a significant Race by Parenting Composite interaction term, β = −.19, p = .03; better parenting was significantly related to more ideal cardiovascular health in Blacks only, β = −.23, p = .004, which remained after adjustments for adolescent and adult socioeconomic status (SES). Academic achievement was related to ideal cardiovascular health, β = −.13, but was no longer significant after controls for adult SES. Adult SES was a strong correlate of ideal cardiovascular health in Black and White men. The study concluded that Black men exposed to positive parenting during adolescence had more ideal cardiovascular health based on AHA guidelines. Improving academic achievement in adolescence may indirectly benefit adult cardiovascular health through improving adult SES. This is the first study of adolescent family predictors of the extent of ideal cardiovascular health. (Publisher abstract modified)