Families

1. Families Parent-Adolescent Conflict

2. Issues to Focus on… • Why is there a marked increase in parent-adolescent conflict? • What do parents & adolescents argue about? • How often do they argue? • Cultural Differences?

3. “Storm & Stress” • Increased emotional & physical distancing from parents • Conflict increases at early adolescence and decreases by 18 • Adolescents report more conflict than parents • Conflicts usually over everyday issues – dress codes, chores, sibs • Typically not intense or volatile & not indicative of major problems • Mother/daughter conflicts more frequent than other dyads • Small minority (5-10%) of families experience serious problems

4. What do Parents and Adolescents argue about?

5. NOT over important issues, rather over mundane things like chores, homework, getting along with siblings • Adolescents see issues as “personal” • Parents see issues as “social conventions”

6. How often do Parents and Adolescents argue?

7. Conflict between parents & adolescents relatively frequent with a distinct increase in conflict from early to mid-adolescence • Conflicts decline over adolescence…in part due to decline in amount of time spent with parents • What are other reasons that would explain decline in conflict?

8. Two Major Caveats… • Much of this research conducted on children already in adolescence …What happens before they enter adolescence? • The majority of research on parent-adolescent relationships conducted on White, middle class, two-parent families. …What about families from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds?

9. Cultural Differences in Parent-Child Relationships • Both African-American & Latino families encourage family interdependence vs. independence (de-emphasize autonomy) • Both families emphasize obedience, dignity, and respect toward elders and parental authority (Garcia Coll et al., 1995) • Latino adolescents feel it is inappropriate to argue with or talk back to parents (Fuligni, 1998)

10. Parent-Adolescent Conflict In Context • Parent-adolescent conflict more frequent in White, middle-class families than in Mexican American families (Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 1996) • Less conflict reported by African American and Hispanic families than in Caucasian families (Barber, 1994) • Different belief systems do exist, but no differences in actual conflict (Fuligni, 1998)

11. More Recent Findings on Conflict • Contrary to previous findings in conflict literature, conflict did not significantly increase over time • Conflict frequency and intensity similar across ethnic groups

12. WHAT DID THE ARTICLE YOU READ INDICATE ABOUT CONFLICT ACROSS ETHNIC GROUPS?

13. Respect for Parental Authority • Significant ethnic group differences • Girls’ respect for parental authority did not significantly change over time

14. Respect for Parental Authority • Association between mother-reported conflict intensity and respect moderated by ethnicity at both time points

15. Conclusions • Respect is a salient issue for children and parents • Parent-child conflict • Ethnic/Cultural differences • Both in childhood and adolescence • Respect is differentially experienced by families of varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds • Respect may be associated with ‘Americanization’ phenomenon in immigrant families

16. Parenting

17. Parenting • Authoritarian Parenting Pattern -Controlling – using standard set of rules -Stress Obedience -No “give-and-take” -May use physical punishment

18. Parenting • Authoritative Parenting Pattern -Explain & discuss rules & expectations -Maintains firm control -Set high standards -Encourage independence -Respectful of child’s point of view

19. Parenting • Indulgent parents behave in an accepting, benign, and somewhat more passive way • Indifferent parents try to minimize the time and energy that they must devote to interacting with their child

20. Limitations • Limited to white, middle-class families • Not generalizable to families across different cultures • Does not take into account surrounding environment…ex: growing up in dangerous neighborhoods, cultural expectations, etc. • Some characteristics cut across categories…ex: discussion of rules not limited to authoritative parents

21. Do these styles influence adolescents?

22. Children of Authoritarian Parents • Tend to lack social competence • Look at outside figures in making moral decisions • Lack spontaneity and intellectual curiosity

23. Children of Authoritative Parents • More self-reliant and self-controlled • More willing to explore • More content • Better academic achievement • Lower problem behaviors

24. Children of Indulgent Parents • Relatively immature • Difficulty controlling impulses • Difficulty accepting responsibility for social actions • Lack independence

25. Limitations of Baumrind’s Theory • Correlational • Biased toward white, middle-income/class • Is “style” stable? • Children’s later perceptions

26. Are ‘Ideal’ Parenting Styles the same for ALL Cultures? • Authoritative parenting is less prevalent among African-American, Asian-American, or Hispanic-American families than among white families • Beneficial effects are found for all ethnic groups

27. Are ‘Ideal’ Parenting Styles the same for ALL Cultures? • Authoritarian parenting more common among ethnic minority families • Negative child outcomes not same as with White families with same parenting style

28. Further Research • disciplinary parenting behaviors differentially experienced by families of differing ethnic and cultural backgrounds • African American and Latina mothers consistently endorse more restrictive, disciplinary parenting practices than European American mothers • But still nurturing

29. Discussion… • If more recent research is focusing on cultural differences with respect to parenting patterns, why does all of the current day literature still list AUTHORITATIVE parenting as optimal? • Ongoing debates in Parenting research & literature