Disagreements in Parent-Adolescent Relationship: A Comparison in Middle Class Families and Lower Class Families

Abstract

The family and peers are two of the major social contexts of socio-emotional development for adolescents. Within the family context, three areas of research are notable: ef fects of parental warmth, consequences of parent-adolescent conflict, and timetable of establishing autonomy from parents. This study has discussed the difficulties that parents and adolescents have with each other and also the ef fect of these difficulties or expectations on their relationships. Finally process of resolving these disagreements with reference to individual/ family has been discussed. The population under study was selected through purposive sampling in which samples were chosen on the basis of their age group (adolescent, 14-17 years) and socio - economic status, that is, middle class families and lower class families. For this purpose, ten schools of middle and lower class families were visited and random selection of adolescent students have been done. Selection of parents was done through chit-system. The data were tabulated and analyzed in percentage form. Findings concluded that difference was found in parent-adolescent relationship in middle class and lower class families.