We also predicted that MA fathers would show higher levels of involvement, warmth, and rejection than EA fathers. While MA fathers were more involved with their adolescents and were more rejecting, they did not differ from EA fathers with regard to acceptance shown to the adolescent. These findings are generally consistent with past research (Backstrom, 2004; Hofferth, 2003; Toth & Xu, 1999). However, once SES was added as a predictor, ethnic differences in involvement and rejection levels disappeared. Therefore, these ethnic differences may be attributable to differences in SES across EA and MA families. The stress experienced by families of lower SES may impact parenting behaviors more than ethnicity. The current study also supported our hypothesis that there would be no differences between MA and EA adolescent adjustment, which coincides with past research (Hill et al., 2003).
