Exposing the role of coparenting and parenting for adolescent personal identity processes

Abstract

In line with a family systems perspective, this study examined the association between two aspects of family climate, that of coparenting (cooperation, triangulation) and parenting (autonomy support, dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented psychological control) and their relation to adolescent personal identity formation (commitment making, identification with commitment, exploration in breadth, exploration in depth, ruminative exploration, reconsideration of commitment). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we tested the hypothesis that coparenting would be associated with adolescent identity formation via parenting. Cross-sectional self-report data were collected from 1,105 Swiss adolescents (aged 13–18 years; 51% female). SEM revealed associations between coparental cooperation and more adaptive identity formation via parental autonomy support. Conversely, coparental triangulation was associated with maladaptive identity dimensions via parental dependency-oriented psychological control. These associations were not moderated by age, gender, or family structure.