Abstract
The quality of the relationship between parents and their adolescent children has a substantial impact on their development and engagement in risky behaviors. This study draws on data collected from the Haitian Family and Adolescent Intervention Study (Louis Herns Marcelin, Principal Investigator) funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a mixed-methods intervention study, and uses a qualitative method framework through in-depth interviews with Haitian-American clinicians who have worked with Haitian parents and Haitian adolescents between 10-30 years. The findings of this study reinforce and support previous literatures suggesting that family conflict, inconsistent discipline, and parental monitoring influence adolescent engagement in risky behaviors.
The results of the present study indicate that parenting style may be less influential in adolescent engagement in risky behaviors. Variables such as, the parent-child relationship, level of acculturation, family separation due to immigration, family conflict, family dynamics, extended family support, peer influence, religious beliefs, and gender norms may serve as either protective or risk factors in Haitian adolescent engagement in risky behaviors. Findings also add new insights into Haitian parents’ misunderstanding and lack of awareness of the adolescent development stage. Therefore, a community-based education program that is culturally competent maybe useful in helping Haitian parents navigate and support their children during the adolescent stage of development.