Parent-adolescent Relationship Research Articles

A latent profile analysis of parent-adolescent communication in person and using communication technology.

Despite the rapid changes in the use of communication technologies in families, research on how parents use communication technologies to stay connected with adolescents has been limited. Grounded in interdisciplinary theories in family and media studies, the primary aim of this study was to identify and describe unique patterns of parent-adolescent communication using parent reports of communication. Further, we considered whether parent-adolescent closeness was associated with parent-adolescent communication patterns. Participants were 404 dyads; one parent (Mage = 43.37; 61.9% female) and one adolescent (Mage = 15.32; 48.3% female) from the same family. Latent profile analysis supported a four-profile model of parent-adolescent communication. Profiles were characterized by communication frequency and preferred method of communication (i.e., in-person, phone calls, texts, video calls) across reasons for communicating (i.e., receive or offer advice and recommendations, emotional support, keep up-to-date, make plans). Demographic differences by parent race and marital status were found across different parent-adolescent communication profiles. Additionally, parent-adolescent communication profiles were associated with significantly different levels of parent reports of perceived closeness. Findings highlighting parents' perspectives on communication are essential to understanding how communication technologies can foster connections in parent-adolescent relationships. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Exploring the Influence of Parent-Adolescent Relationships on Adolescents’ Self-Esteem: Evidence from Kosovo

Exploring the Influence of Parent-Adolescent Relationships on Adolescents’ Self-Esteem: Evidence from Kosovo

The role of parent's mental health in shaping perceptions of adolescent mental health experiences after COVID‐19

AbstractObjectiveThe study objective was to examine parental mental health and parenting practices during the pandemic and their association with perceptions of adolescent mental health 2 months later.BackgroundPandemic stress led to greater parental and adolescent mental health issues, including ineffective parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality may protect parental perceptions of adolescent mental health against ineffective parenting, though few have examined this link.MethodIn a sample of West Texas parents and caregivers (N = 194; 46% women) of adolescents (Mage = 14.2; 35% girls), longitudinal structural equation models were used to separately explore parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety due to COVID‐19 stress on parental psychopathology and parenting practices, and the protective role of parent–adolescent relationship quality.ResultsDepression and anxiety models showed transmission from parents to parental perceptions of adolescent's mental health occurred through distinct parenting practices. Parent–adolescent relationship quality ameliorated the effect of inconsistent discipline on later parental perceptions of adolescent depression and anxiety.ConclusionsParental mental health and parenting practices can act as mechanisms between their chronic stress experiences and their perceptions of their adolescent child's mental health.ImplicationsPromoting mental health resources and parent–adolescent relationship quality may offset the transmission of negative mental health from parents to their adolescents.

Daily association between parent-adolescent emotion contagion: The role of parent-adolescent connectedness.

Emotion contagion between parents and adolescents is crucial for understanding adolescents' emotional experiences. However, little is known about how emotion contagion unfolds in daily life and the unique contributions of parent-adolescent relationships. This study examines the associations between parent and adolescent positive and negative emotions, and the moderating role of daily parent-adolescent connectedness. Participants were 191 Taiwanese adolescents (Mage = 12.93; SDage = 0.75; 53% female) and their parents who completed 10-day diary reports of emotions and parent-adolescent connectedness. Results indicate that higher daily parent negative emotions were associated with more adolescent negative emotions, and higher average parent negative emotions were associated with greater average negative emotions and fewer positive emotions in adolescents. Similar bidirectional effects were also found in adolescent-to-parent emotion contagion. Moreover, on days when connectedness was high, parent negative emotions were not associated with adolescent negative emotions but were related to increased positive emotions. Parent positive emotions were related to more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions when connectedness was low. The findings provide important insights into daily parent-adolescent emotion contagion and highlight parent-adolescent connectedness as a modifying factor in shaping dyadic emotional processes.

Adolescent dating violence and leader role occupancy

AbstractWho becomes a leader is of considerable importance to employees, organizations and society. Recently, researchers have considered whether early life events outside of the workplace affect who occupies leadership roles within organizations. Informed by the lifespan approach to leadership, and the work–home resources model, we investigate whether violence in adolescent dating relationships is associated with leader role occupancy in adulthood. We hypothesize that experiencing psychological aggression and physical violence indirectly lowers the likelihood of occupying a leadership role through depressive symptoms. Moreover, we hypothesize that the indirect effects will be weaker when parent–adolescent relationship quality is higher, when adolescents come from higher household incomes, and stronger for women. Drawing on four waves of ADD Health, results showed that experiencing early psychological aggression in dating relationships increased depressive symptoms, hindering leader role occupancy; however, this effect was buffered by income, and stronger for women. Experiencing physical violence exerted indirect negative effects on leader role occupancy via depressive symptoms, regardless of parent–adolescent relationship quality, income or gender. There were no direct effects of aggression or violence on leader role occupancy. Our findings suggest that early personal relationships can impact young adult's mental health, which in turn can influence leadership outcomes into adulthood.

Childhood Maltreatment and Adolescent Risky Behavior: Mediating the Effect of Parent-Adolescent Conflict and Violent Tendencies.

Childhood maltreatment experiences are an important public health issue associated with a variety of short- and long-term social and psychological outcomes. Despite the negative impact of these experiences, little research has examined the mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior, which is a critical step in developing intervention services to prevent such behavior during adolescence. The present study aimed to examine the mediating role of parent-adolescent conflict and violent tendency in the relationships between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior in adolescence. Participants were 303 high school students, 60.1% female (n = 182) and 39.9% (n = 121) male, from four different high schools in Türkiye. It was found that childhood maltreatment was significantly and positively associated with adolescent risky behavior. In addition, that parent-adolescent conflict and violent tendencies mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent risky behavior. And also parent-adolescent conflict mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and violent tendencies and adolescent risky behavior. The results of this study suggest that parent-adolescent conflict and violent tendencies are important in increasing the impact of childhood maltreatment on adolescent risky behavior. In order to reduce the impact of maltreated childhood experiences on risky behavior, interventions can be designed to increase positive adolescent-parent relationships and reduce violent tendencies.

Hubungan Parent Adolescent Relationship terhadap Risk Taking Behavior pada Remaja

Risk-taking behavior refers to the tendency to engage in dangerous actions that could harm the individual. Meanwhile, parent-adolescent relationship refers to the interaction between parents and adolescents, encompassing closeness, communication, and comfort. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between parent-adolescent relationship and risk-taking behavior among adolescents. The research method used is quantitative with a correlational design. The population of this study consists of junior high school students in the city of Padang. The sample was selected using non-probability sampling, with a total of 408 participants. Data analysis was conducted using the Spearman correlation technique. The results show an r value of -0.774 with p = 0.000, indicating a significant negative relationship between parent-adolescent relationship and risk-taking behavior among adolescents in Padang. The implications of these findings suggest that emotional support and parental involvement play a crucial role in helping adolescents make wise decisions and avoid dangerous risks.

DETERMINANTS OF PERCEIVED PARENTING STYLE, PARENT ADOLESCENT RELATIONSHIP AND STRESS RESILIENCE AMONG ADOLESCENTS ATTENDING SELECTED HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ERNAKULAM DISTRICT, KERALA

Significant changes in physical, sexual, cognitive, social, and emotional domains occur during adolescence, which may be both exciting and frustrating for kids and their families.The studys objective was to identify the variables that influence adolescents opinions on parenting styles, the bond between parents and their kids, and their ability to cope with stress.A cross-sectional study of 131 adolescents from two distinct schools was carried out. The Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, the structured parent-adolescent relationship scale, and the parenting style scale were utilized. Structured questionnaires were used to gather socio-personal information. According to the studys findings, (a) adolescents most frequently viewed authoritative parenting as a parenting style.(b) The parent-adolescent connection between mother and father did not have significant difference. (c) More than three quarters of the subjects (76.30%) had an intermediate level of stress resilience. (d) The parenting style had significant relation with parent adolescent relationship and stress resilience. (e) The paternal parent adolescent relationship showed no significant relationship with stress resilience whereas maternal parent adolescent relationship showed significant relationship with stress resilience. (6)The study also showed that maternal parent adolescent relationship had significant association with age of adolescents, type of school and place of residence whereas paternal parent adolescent relationship had significant association with age of adolescents. (7) It also pointed that stress resilience of adolescents was statistically significant(p0.01) association with type of family of adolescents.

Parent and adolescent perceptions of parent–child developmental relationships: The role of family routines

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined family routines in relation to the strength of parent–child developmental relationships and discordant perceptions among parents and their adolescent children.BackgroundPositive parent–child relationships and regular engagement in family routines are known to create a positive environment in which adolescents can thrive. Yet both parents and their children hold unique perspectives on family structure and functioning. Agreement between parent and child reports tend to be low and often become increasingly discrepant during adolescence. Engaging in consistent and predictable family routines may not only strengthen parent–child relationships but also result in more concordant perceptions of the quality of their shared relationship.MethodUsing data from 633 matched parents and their children, we examined the association between engagement in family routines and the strength of parent–adolescent relationships including discrepant reports using a latent congruence model.ResultsFamily routines were positively associated with stronger parent–adolescent relationships and less discrepant reports of this critical relationship.ConclusionEngagement in family routines plays an important role in parent–adolescent developmental relationships.ImplicationsFindings have important implications for practices and research focused on improving adolescent outcomes through family structures and parent–child relationships.

Associations between mother and father involvement with older adolescents: Mediating effects of parent‐adolescent and couple relationships

AbstractObjectiveThis study aims to illuminate the dynamic interplay among subsystems within the family context to understand how mother and father involvement in their adolescent children's lives may be related.BackgroundConsistent with different predictions offered by family spillover and by compensatory conceptual models, whether there is an association between mother and father involvement, as well as the direction of the association, is unclear thus far in the empirical literature. Whether more proximal dyadic relationships, such as parent–adolescent relationships, may mediate the association between mother and father involvement has also been underexamined.MethodThis study was conducted using the adolescent subsample drawn from Wave 3 of the Welfare, Children, and Families Project. A total of 463 ethnically diverse adolescents from low‐income households living with two biological parents were involved in this study.ResultsResults of a structural equation modeling analysis indicated that the total effect from mother involvement to father involvement was significant, but a direct association between them was not significant; closeness in parent–adolescent and coparental relationships mediated the relationship between the two. Study results also indicated that model fits and associations were roughly the same across adolescent sex and ethnicity groups.ConclusionThis study advanced the understanding of the father involvement process. The findings support that parental involvement interventions for parents from low‐income families should focus on developing culturally responsive strategies for promoting their parenting beliefs and healthy functioning.

When Parents Press for Achievement: The Relationship between Academic Stress, Insomnia, Adolescent-Parent Relationships, and Life Satisfaction

When Parents Press for Achievement: The Relationship between Academic Stress, Insomnia, Adolescent-Parent Relationships, and Life Satisfaction

Interparental conflict spillover: Examining parental depression risk pathways.

Spillover from interparental conflict (IPC) to the parent-child relationship is a risk factor for adolescent emotional, social, and behavioral maladjustment. Parental depression increases the risk for more frequent and intense IPC over periods of months to years, but relatively little is known about whether parental depressive symptoms increase the risk for IPC and/or the propensity for spillover on short timescales. Using daily diary methods, we tested two hypotheses to evaluate whether parental depressive symptoms predict increased risk for IPC spillover: (a) a stress generation hypothesis, in which higher levels of parental depressive symptoms are associated with a greater tendency to experience IPC, which elevates risk for spillover, and (b) a spillover propensity hypothesis, in which parental depressive symptoms strengthen the within-person linkage between daily couple conflict and poorer parent-adolescent relations. We analyzed data from 150 adolescents and caregivers from two-caregiver families who completed baseline and 21-day daily diary surveys. Consistent with a stress generation hypothesis, parents who were higher in baseline depressive symptoms reported higher levels of IPC over 21 days. At the daily level, there was evidence of spillover from IPC to higher parent-adolescent conflict and lower parent-adolescent closeness, but there was no evidence for increased propensity for spillover by parents' baseline depressive symptoms or daily depressed mood. Rather, there was a direct association between higher daily parental depressed mood and poorer daily parent-adolescent relationship quality (lower closeness, higher conflict). Ameliorating parental depressive symptoms may improve parent-adolescent relationship quality directly, as well as indirectly by decreasing the risk for IPC. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Intersections of family expressiveness and adolescent mental health: exploring parent–adolescent relationships as a mediator

Purpose This study investigates the mediating role of parent−adolescent relationships in the impact of family emotional expressiveness on adolescent psychological adjustment. This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which positive family dynamics and strong parent−child bonds influence adolescents' psychological resilience and well-being. Design/methodology/approach The study involved 463 middle school students (241 boys and 222 girls) from Chlef, Algeria. Data was collected using the self-expressiveness in the family questionnaire (SEFQ), the parent−adolescent relationship scale (PARS) and the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). Descriptive statistics, correlations and mediation analysis were performed to examine the relationships among family emotional expressiveness, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment. Findings The results reveal moderate positive correlations among family emotional expressiveness, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment. Mediation analysis indicates that parent−adolescent relationships partially mediate the effects of family emotional expressiveness on psychological outcomes, with both direct and indirect effects being statistically significant. Originality/value This study contributes to the field of mental health by exploring the nuanced interplay between family dynamics, parent−adolescent relationships and psychological adjustment within the Algerian cultural context. While the quantitative nature of the study limits the depth of contextual insights, the findings underscore the importance of considering family emotional expressiveness and the quality of parent−adolescent relationships in interventions aimed at promoting adolescent psychological well-being. The study highlights the partial mediating role of parent−adolescent relationships, indicating that other factors may also influence the association between family expressiveness and adolescent adjustment. This emphasizes the need for a comprehensive, culturally-sensitive approach that addresses various influences on adolescent development. It should be noted that while the family unit and parenting styles have been extensively researched, this study offers a fresh perspective by focusing on these dynamics within a specific cultural setting.

Daily and Half-yearly Associations between Boundary Diffusion and Parent-adolescent Relationship Quality after Divorce.

Boundary diffusion is a particular risk after divorce and has been associated with adolescents' adjustment problems. Yet, its potential impact on parent-adolescent relationship quality is less straightforward, as previous findings support both an alienation and conflict perspective. Therefore these associations (daily and half-yearly) were examined in recently divorced families, addressing both within-dyad changes and between-dyad differences. Data were collected among a sample of N = 133 (pre)adolescents (Mage = 11.76; 51.5% boys) from 76 divorced families, using a measurement burst design: Every six months, 14 consecutive days of daily diaries were collected, for 5 waves. Between dyads, adolescents who experienced more boundary diffusion than others, also reported more conflict with both their parents. Within dyads, when adolescents experienced more boundary diffusion than usual by one of their parents (actor), warmth decreased and conflict increased between this parent and the adolescent, that same and the following day. Adolescents also engaged in more conflict with the other parent that day. These findings mostly supported the conflict perspective: Post-divorce boundary diffusion appears to be a general risk factor for parent-adolescent conflict with both parents, and from day-to-day boundary diffusion was linked to a deteriorated parent-adolescent relationship quality, especially with the parent that triangulated or parentified them. There were no significant long-term associations, nor did any moderator (age, gender, living arrangement) explain heterogeneity in effects.

Do Family Interventions Help to Improve Family Dynamics? The Impact of PCF-AFECT 12–16

Objective: This paper analyses changes in the family dynamics of the participants of a family prevention program, taking into consideration possible differences between the mothers and fathers and differences according to the sex of the participating adolescents. Background: Fostering family communication and resilience, parent–child relations, and family cohesion is fundamental in positive family dynamics. Method: The study has a quasi-experimental design, with pretest and posttest assessments of the experimental and control groups. A total sample of 252 families took part in the program. Results: In the data reported by the mothers, differences were identified between the experimental group and the control group in the three factors that were analyzed (improvements in family resilience and communication, parent–adolescent relations, and family cohesion), while in the data reported by the fathers, there were differences in two factors (family resilience and communication and parent–adolescent relations). No differences were observed according to the sex of the participating adolescents. Conclusion: In comparison with the control group, better outcomes were achieved by the families who took part in the program on its completion. Implications: Preventive family interventions are a tool in improving family dynamics and in boosting protective factors for all the members of a family. They should be included in strategic social, educational, and healthcare intervention plans.

Parent- and Adolescent-Driven Effects in Emotion-Related Communication and Longitudinal Relationships with Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents.

Communication on emotions is an important aspect of parent-adolescent communication, yet its process and effects remain less examined in families of adolescents. This study examined the bidirectional association between parental responses to adolescents' emotions and adolescents' emotional communication behaviors, and further examined their longitudinal predictive effects on adolescent depressive symptoms. The potential moderating role of adolescent gender was also examined. A total of 503 adolescents (Mage = 13.45, SD = 0.50; 44.73% females) participated in this study, with 438 adolescents completing the three-wave longitudinal survey. Adolescents' emotional communication behaviors, parental responses to emotions, and depressive symptoms were reported. The bidirectional relationship was examined using cross-lagged panel models, while the parent- and adolescent-driven effects of emotional communication on adolescent depressive symptoms and the moderation effect of adolescent gender were examined using multi-group structural equation modeling. The findings revealed gender-specific patterns in parent-adolescent communication on emotions. Significant parent- and adolescent-driven effects of positive communication behaviors on adolescent depressive symptoms were found. However, only negative communication behaviors initiated by parents predicted adolescent depressive symptoms, with this effect mediated by adolescents' negative communication behaviors. This study deepened the understanding of characteristics and effects of parent-child emotional communication during adolescence, which has implications for interventions aiming at improving parent-adolescent relationship and adolescents' mental health.

“The Comparison Trap”: The Role of Perceived Parent Social Comparison on Adolescent Academic Self-Efficacy and Academic Self-Handicapping

Parents' attitudes and behavior can impact children's self-esteem, self-perceptions, and behavior. However, limited studies have investigated the relationship between parent social comparison and adolescents’ academic self-appraisal and academic behavior. To address this gap, a survey was conducted among 200 Senior High School students from the Integrated School of De La Salle University - Manila to determine the types of perceived parent social comparison (PPSC) experienced (upward identification, upward contrast, downward identification, downward contrast) and their relationship to academic self-efficacy (ASE) and academic self-handicapping (ASH). Results revealed that adolescents have a moderate level of PPSC, with upward identification obtaining the highest mean score. No significant differences were found between males and females. However, significant differences between adolescents compared by parents to others sometimes and those compared often/always were observed in the overall PPSC, downward identification comparison, and upward contrast comparison. After controlling for sex and frequency of PPSC, forward multiple regression revealed that downward contrast was the only significant negative correlate of ASE. In contrast, downward identification was the only significant positive correlate of ASH. The study suggests that cultivating a positive and supportive parent-adolescent relationship rather than a culture of comparison may lead to better outcomes for adolescents.

A pilot study in narrative approach of an adolescent parenting program for enhancing parenting competency during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Since 2019, Hong Kong has been experiencing a social and mental health crisis caused by social unrest and the COVID-19 Pandemic. As a result, there have been reports of increasing family conflicts among secondary students. With the understanding that family support and positive relationships are crucial for maintaining the mental well-being of young people, narrative therapy is a practical approach for helping families shift from problem-focused perspectives to empowering strategies for rebuilding positive relationships. The study aims to report on the effectiveness of a pilot group parent narrative therapy workshop for family relationship harmonisation and enhancing parenting competency using quantitative and qualitative methods. The study participants included 34 parents from five local schools. The results indicated a significantly increased sense of parental competency, general self-efficacy, adult hope, and decreased parental stress. Qualitative reports and participants’ narratives also demonstrated the positive effect of the narrative therapy workshop on their parent–adolescent relationships.

Changes in Adolescents’ COVID-19-Health-Related Stress, Parent-Adolescent Relationships, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Effect of Personality Traits

Previous studies investigated short-term effects of COVID-19 on families. However, much is unknown about how families with adolescents fared throughout the pandemic, as well as factors that might explain interindividual differences in adjustment. The current study used latent change score models to investigate associations between changes in adolescents’ mental health, parent-adolescent relationship quality, and COVID-19-health-related stress from Fall 2019 to Spring 2021, and whether personality predicted changes in adolescents’ mental health, relationship quality, and stress. Participants were 242 adolescents (Mage = 11.56, SD = 0.44, 50% girls). Parent-adolescent negative interactions decreased from before the pandemic to the first lockdown, and stronger decreases (both in this period and between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021) were associated with simultaneous stronger increases in mental health. From Spring to Fall 2020, decreases in stress were stronger for less extraverted adolescents and were associated with better mental health. More agreeable adolescents reported a stronger decrease in stress between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The findings suggest that it is important to consider heterogeneity in designing future intervention and prevention programs. Especially adolescents with existing problems and from multi-problem families might be at risk for adverse consequences during pandemic-like situations.

Age-varying associations of parent-adolescent relationship and school connectedness with adolescent self-compassion: Differences by gender.

Parent-adolescent relationships and school connectedness are critical promotive factors for adolescent self-compassion. However, little is known about how the magnitude of the associations between these protective factors and self-compassion changes across continuous age groups and whether gender differences exist in the age-varying associations. This study aims to investigate (1) the age-varying associations of parent-adolescent relationships and school connectedness with self-compassion using time-varying effect modeling and (2) how their age-varying associations may differ by gender. A total of 14,776 adolescents aged 10-18 (mean age = 13.53 ± 2.08, 52.3% males) from Shenzhen, China participated in this study. All adolescents completed the online questionnaires in the school computer rooms. The results showed that both parent-adolescent relationships and school connectedness were positively associated with adolescent self-compassion, and the magnitudes fluctuated with age. Specifically, the association between parent-adolescent relationships and self-compassion peaked for adolescents in early adolescence, with the key timing for girls (age group of 10 years old) being slightly earlier than boys (age group of 11 years old). The association between school connectedness and self-compassion was stronger for boys in the early years of adolescence (in the age group of 12.7 years), while stronger for girls during middle adolescence (in the age group of 14.0 years). Overall, girls were more sensitive to connections with parents and schools than boys during most age groups. The findings demonstrated differential key timing for boys and girls regarding family- and school-based intervention to cultivate self-compassion and highlighted the importance of maintaining strong connections with families and schools for cultivating adolescent self-compassion, particularly for girls.