Adolescent Psychological Functioning and Membership in Latent Adolescent-Parent Communication Dual Trajectory Classes

The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between adolescents' psychological functioning (as indicated by depressive symptoms) and substance use (alcohol and drug use) and membership in adolescent-parent communication trajectory subgroups in a large, diverse community sample of adolescents from the United States (n = 1,057; 53% female; 51% Caucasian; Age: M = 16.15, SD = .75). Adolescents completed questionnaires at three annual assessments. Fit indices from parallel process growth mixture models suggested three dual trajectory classes: (1) Average communication with both parents (Average-Both); (2) Good adolescent-mother and poor adolescent-father communication (Good-Mom/Poor-Dad); and (3) Poor adolescent-mother and good adolescent-father communication (Poor-Mom/Good-Dad). The trajectory classes differed by gender. In addition, psychological functioning and substance use were differentially related to the trajectory classes.