Parents' and Adolescents' Perceptions of Each Other and the Adolescents' Self‐Perception

Abstract

The study examines relationships between adolescents' self‐perception, their perception of parents, and parents' perception of them. 45 junior high school students took the Mooney Problem Check List and the California Test of Personality, first as they perceived themselves and again as they perceived their parents. They responded to “What sort of person is your mother (father)?” Parents completed the personality test as they perceived their adolescents. “Low,” “Medium,” and “High” problem groups were formed on the basis of number of problems indicated on the check list. “Low” and “High” groups perceived themselves to be better adjusted than their parents. Parents of the “Low” group perceived them to be poorly adjusted in such areas as self‐reliance, social skills and personal worth, while parents of the “High” group perceived them to have better adjustment in these areas. “Medium” and “High” groups indicated most problems concerning money, work, and the future.