Parents are more likely to punish their teenager's risky behavior when there are younger kids in the family, driven by a desire to set a strict example for these siblings, says new research from the University of Maryland, Duke University and The Johns Hopkins University. The study, published in the Economic Journal concluded that the exercise of parental control is effective in modifying risky adolescent behavior, especially in the case of the older children, who expect stronger penalties because their parents are making an example of them. But as the younger siblings grow up and the "games" get played out a second or third time, the parent's resolve tends to dwindle, the researchers say.
"Tender-hearted parents find it harder and harder to engage in 'tough love' as they have fewer young children in the house, since they have less incentive to uphold reputations as disciplinarians," says University of Maryland economist, Ginger Gin. "As a result, the theory predicts that last-born and only children, knowing that they can get away with much more than their older brothers and sisters, are, on average, more likely to engage in risky behaviors."
In their analysis, the researchers found having one additional younger sibling lowers the likelihood of an adolescent s dropping out of high school by 3 percentage points. The researchers recommend that policy interventions to reduce dropping out of school, teenage childbearing and other risky behaviors should emphasize the role of parents as well as peer pressure.
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Source: University of Maryland, College Park
