Parental monitoring is a set of correlated parenting behaviors involving attention to and tracking of the child’s whereabouts, activities, and adaptations. The impact of parental monitoring is ubiquitous and has broad relevance for youth outcomes. Similarly, although less commonly investigated, youth behaviors can impact parents’ or caregivers’ responses or behaviors. Longitudinal analysis was used to assess the gendered effects of youth behaviors—defined as internalized anger, externalized anger, and delinquency—on parent behaviors (i.e., parental monitoring). Results showed that adolescent’s levels of internalized anger, externalized anger, and delinquency were predictive of parental monitoring. Specifically, as the adolescents aged, parental monitoring decreased and parental monitoring was differentiated based on gender. Results and implications for the parent–child relationship are discussed.

The onset of behavioral problems in early childhood is associated with an increased frequency of delinquent behavior. A significant amount of youth in the juvenile justice system have histories of mental illness and psychological distress. However, little is known about what factors mediate the relationship between early onset behavioral problems and psychological distress. The present study tested the mediating effect of parental monitoring, antisocial peers, exposure to violence, and gender on the relationship between behavioral problems and psychological distress. A secondary analysis of data from the Pathways to Desistence Study was examined using the serial mediation process proposed by Preacher and Hayes, a significant mediation of the behavior problems–psychological distress relationship was found. The results supported the mediational model in which parental monitoring impacted interaction with antisocial peers which in turn increased the level of violence exposure youth experienced ultimately leading to an increase in psychological distress.