Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the goodness-of-fit between adolescent`s temperament and their parents` demands on social competence, the perception of social relationships and on their psychological well-being with samples of 289 male and 250 female high school students. Mediator variable models were specified via path analyses. Among male adolescents, LISREL analyses indicated that significant paths existed between the fit score of Approach/Withdrawal and social competence, between the fit score of Rhythmicity-eating and the perception of social relationships, and between the perception of social relationships and depressive symptoms. In the case of female adolescents, there were significant paths between the fit score of Approach/Withdrawal and social competence, between the fit score of Rhythmicity-eating and depressive symptoms, and between Approach/Withdrawal and depressive symptoms. For both male and female adolescents, there were significant negative correlations between social competence and the perception of social relationships. Overall, the findings were supportive of the contributory role of temperamental goodness-of-fit in the prediction of mental health for adolescents.