@article{ref1,
title="Effects of parent-child relationships on child marriage of girls in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam: evidence from a prospective cohort",
journal="Journal of Adolescent Health",
year="2019",
author="Bhan, Nandita and Gautsch, Leslie and McDougal, Lotus and Lapsansky, Charlotte and Obregon, Rafael and Raj, Anita",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: Parental influence over early marriage of girls is well-documented in qualitative research, but little quantitative work in this area has been conducted. This study assesses the effects of the parent-child relationship in early adolescence (aged 12 years) on early marriage of girls. <br><br>METHODS: We analyzed survey data from a multicountry prospective cohort of girls (n = 1,648) followed over four rounds from age 8 to 19 years (2002-2013), as part of the Young Lives study in India, Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Peru. Multinomial logistic regression models assessed the effects of parent-child communication and parent-child relationship quality, as reported when girls were aged 12 years on child and early marriage (married <16 years, married 16-17 years, married 18-19 years, unmarried). Covariates were wealth, rural/urban residence, maternal education, parents' value of education, early menarche, and country. <br><br>RESULTS: One in five girls (18.04%) reported marriage before 18 years of age, and 8.1% reported marrying before 16 years (8.3% and 13.7% in India and Ethiopia). Multinomial regression found that girls reporting good parent-child communication and high parent-child relationship quality at age 12 years were significantly less likely to marry before age 16 years (moderate relationship quality, adjusted relative risk ratio:.23, 95% confidence interval:.07-.72; high relationship quality, adjusted relative risk ratio:.34, 95% confidence interval:.11-.99). <br><br>CONCLUSION: Parent-child relationship quality and communication in early adolescence are protective against very early marriage of girls cross-nationally, although communication may facilitate marriage soon on completion of school. Primary prevention interventions targeting child marriage may benefit from components focused on improving the parent-child relationship.<br><br>Copyright © 2019 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1054-139X",
doi="10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.05.002",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.05.002"
}