Does adolescents' filial self-efficacy predict civic engagement in early adulthood? A six-year latent growth analysis

A certain number of studies have examined the role of family influences on the development of adolescents’ civic engagement (e.g., Smetana & Metzger, 2005). However, the proactive and agentic role of adolescents within their families has been overlooked (Luengo Kanacri et al., 2014). The present study explored the role of adolescents’ filial self-efficacy beliefs (PFSBs; the perceived capacity to balance affective bonds and autonomy in the relations with parents) in predicting civic behaviors (i.e., voting behavior and associationism) and interpersonal trust (InTrust) in early adulthood. We examined individual levels and rate of changes of FSBs from adolescence (age 15 and 16; T1) to early adulthood (age 21 and 22; T4). Participants were drawn from the Genzano Longitudinal Study (male=48.4%; mean age=15.7) and were assessed at 4 waves. Results showed that PFSBs followed a nonlinear trajectory. Moreover, the initial level (i.e., the intercept) of PFSBs positively predicted civic behaviors 6 years later (voting behaviors, b=0.196, p<0.01; associationism, b=0.245, p<0.01). and changes in levels (i.e., the slope) of PFSBs were positively related to InTrust at age 21 and 22 (b=0.741, p<0.05). Findings indicated that adolescents’ beliefs about their agentic role in sharpening their own life within the family are relevant in promoting later interpersonal trust and civic engagement in the transition to early adulthood.