The family during adolescence IA lifespan perspective on adolescents and their familiesSlide 3Is adolescence a time of storm and stress for parent-child relationships?Quality of parent-adolescent relationshipsParenting stylesParenting StylesParenting StylesSlide 9Cultural variations in parenting stylesSlide 11The family during The family during adolescence Iadolescence IA lifespan perspective on A lifespan perspective on adolescents and their familiesadolescents and their families►To understand parent/adolescent relationships, need To understand parent/adolescent relationships, need to understand both adolescents to understand both adolescents andand their parents! their parents!►Typically, parents of adolescents are in their 40s Typically, parents of adolescents are in their 40s (middle adulthood)(middle adulthood)►Middle adulthood is a time of transition tooMiddle adulthood is a time of transition tooPhysical appearance and healthPhysical appearance and healthFamily roles (“sandwich generation”)Family roles (“sandwich generation”)Changes at work Changes at work Future versus past orientation (how much time is Future versus past orientation (how much time is leftleft))A lifespan perspective on A lifespan perspective on adolescents and their familiesadolescents and their families►Changes of middle adulthood for parents coincide with Changes of middle adulthood for parents coincide with adolescents’ increases inadolescents’ increases inStatus (within family, within society)Status (within family, within society)Physical appearance/ abilities Physical appearance/ abilities Beliefs systems (about life, family, rules, etc.)Beliefs systems (about life, family, rules, etc.)Orientation to the future Orientation to the future ►Parents’ transitions overlap with adolescents’ transitions Parents’ transitions overlap with adolescents’ transitions –if not satisfied with where they are in their own lives, it –if not satisfied with where they are in their own lives, it may be challenging for parents of adolescents to cope may be challenging for parents of adolescents to cope with the endless possibilities of their childrenwith the endless possibilities of their childrenKey issue: Are parents happy with where Key issue: Are parents happy with where they, themselvesthey, themselves are? are?Is adolescence a time of Is adolescence a time of storm storm and stressand stress for parent-child for parent-child relationships?relationships?►Positive relationships are the normPositive relationships are the normBut conflict does happen!But conflict does happen!Topics of conflict Topics of conflict Adolescents believe that certain issues are “personal Adolescents believe that certain issues are “personal issues” (up to issues” (up to adolescentsadolescents to regulate) whereas to regulate) whereas parents believe that these issues are up to parents believe that these issues are up to parentsparents to to regulateregulateEarly adolescence in particular is a time of Early adolescence in particular is a time of renegotiation, and highest levels of conflictrenegotiation, and highest levels of conflictQuality of parent-adolescent Quality of parent-adolescent relationshipsrelationships►Certain family characteristics promote Certain family characteristics promote positive family relationshipspositive family relationshipsImportant because positive family relationships Important because positive family relationships are associated with healthy adolescent are associated with healthy adolescent developmentdevelopment►Ideal situation: Parents need to allow Ideal situation: Parents need to allow adolescents adolescents somesome autonomy and choice, but autonomy and choice, but not too much so as to put them in danger not too much so as to put them in dangerParenting stylesParenting styles►Two dimensions have been used to Two dimensions have been used to classify parenting strategy into 4 groups classify parenting strategy into 4 groups ► Responsiveness Responsiveness How warm is the parent? How supportive?How warm is the parent? How supportive?►DemandingnessDemandingnessRules and regulations? Expectations?Rules and regulations? Expectations?Parenting StylesParenting StylesHigh responsive, high High responsive, high demanding: demanding: AuthoritativeAuthoritativeLow responsive, high Low responsive, high demanding:demanding:AuthoritarianAuthoritarianHigh responsive, low High responsive, low demanding:demanding:IndulgentIndulgent(permissive/indulgent)(permissive/indulgent)Low responsive, low Low responsive, low demanding: demanding: Indifferent Indifferent (permissive/neglectful)(permissive/neglectful)Parenting StylesParenting Styles►Authoritative parentsAuthoritative parents are warm but firm are warm but firmExplain rules and regulationsExplain rules and regulationsBest adolescent outcomesBest adolescent outcomesMost socially skilled, successful in school, Most socially skilled, successful in school, responsible, self assuredresponsible, self assured►Authoritarian parentsAuthoritarian parents place a high value on place a high value on obedience and conformity obedience and conformity ““do this because I say so”do this because I say so”Adolescents tend to be high achievers but also Adolescents tend to be high achievers but also dependent, less intellectually curious, and less dependent, less intellectually curious, and less socially adeptsocially adeptParenting StylesParenting Styles►Indulgent parentsIndulgent parents are warm but rarely impose are warm but rarely impose rules and regulationsrules and regulationsChild has a lot of freedom but also a lot of affectionChild has a lot of freedom but also a lot of affectionChild tends to be immature, irresponsible, and Child tends to be immature, irresponsible, and conforming to peersconforming to peers►Indifferent parentsIndifferent parents minimize the time and energy minimize the time and energy that they devote to interacting with their childthat they devote to interacting with their childMost at risk for delinquent behavior and early Most at risk for delinquent behavior and early experimentation with substances and sexual behaviorexperimentation with substances and sexual behaviorCultural variations in parenting Cultural variations in parenting stylesstyles►AuthoritativeAuthoritative parenting promotes