Mother–adolescent civic messages: Associations with adolescent civic behavior and civic judgments

• Mother–adolescent civic messages were examined using a civic discussion task.
• Associations among civic messages and teen civic judgments and behavior were tested.
• Mothers' civic messages were differentially associated with teens' civic behavior and judgments.
• Teens' own civic messages were associated their behaviors and judgments.

Observational and multi-informant survey data were used to examine associations among mothers' civic behavior, observed mother–adolescent messages about civic responsibility, and adolescents' judgments about civic duty and civic behavior. Adolescents (N = 144, Mage = 14.49 [12–18] years) and their mothers (N = 144) participated in a semi-structured, dyadic discussion task focused on civic responsibility and adolescents completed questionnaires assessing civic behavior and judgments about whether individuals should engage in different civic activities. Eight themes emerged within the parent–adolescent civic discussion task: community service, vote, other standard political involvement (e.g., political awareness), follow regulations, be productive (e.g., working and becoming educated), help others, respect others, and respect country. Mothers' community service involvement and messages concerning respect and helping were positively associated with adolescents' community service behavior. Mothers' messages concerning following regulations were negatively associated with teens' social movement judgments. Additionally, adolescents' own messages were associated with their civic judgments.