The Family Environment and Adolescent Well-Being.

This brief summarizes data on the impact of the family environment on adolescent well-being. Findings indicate: 65% of adolescents have parents who say they can communicate very well with their child about things that really matter; less than half of adolescents eat meals with their families at least six nights a week, although it is more common among poor families, Hispanic families, and first- or second-generation immigrant families; smoking is more common among single parents, particularly among Hispanic families and those with incomes at or above poverty; over 80% of adolescents with parents who are married or partnered have parents who report high levels of happiness in their spousal or partner relationship; less than a quarter of adolescents have parents who say they only know a few or even none of their child’s friends; almost all 10th-graders (90%) say their parents know where they are after school; about 65% of parents are light drinkers, however, 10% of single fathers report being heavy drinkers; and half of parents in two-parent families and less than 40% of single parents exercise vigorously at least once a week. 9 figures and 47 references.