Mother and Father Figures in Biological and Stepfamilies: Youths' Perceptions of Parent-Child Relationship Quality and Parental Involvement

The present study assessed the effects of age, sex, and family type on youths' perceptions of: (a) the quality of the relationship with their maternal and paternal figures and (b) their perception of their parental figures' involvement, in Colombian biological and stepfamilies. A sample of 210 youths responded to questionnaires. Seventy-nine participants lived with their biological parents, 79 lived with a stepfather, and 52 lived with a stepmother. MANOVA results indicated significant interaction effects of family type and age, family type and sex, and a significant main effect of family type on relationship quality dimensions and parental involvement. Findings are discussed based on existing research on the influence of family type, age, and child's sex on parent-child relationships in biological and stepfamilies.