Adolescent Family Relationships (Research Paper Sample)

Adolescent Psychology: Adolescent Family Relationships
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Introduction
Family life can be a source of the deepest attachments and a source of the deepest conflicts. The growing autonomy among adolescents and emerging adults makes them to inexorably begin moving away from their family and into the larger world where they develop new attachments and make adjustments to these relationships (Arnett, 2010, p. 177-176). Such adjustments do not always take place smoothly and often conflicts arise between adolescents and their parents especially in regards to the differing perceptions of the pace and the scope of the growing autonomy. This is often worsened by other conflicts from the family such as divorce, remarriage and poor marital relationships (Arnett, 2010, p. 177). Despite such conflicts, for most adolescents, family and parental relationships remain the most vital sources of support, love, protection, comfort, and general well-being of the adolescent (Arnett, 2010, p. 177). This paper will, therefore, look into adolescent family relationships paying attention to parental relationships and factors regarding parenting that influence the well-being of adolescents through a review of literature. This is because the family structure and quality of the relationships that exist between family members are critical elements in the functioning of the family and have a significant influence on the well-being of the parents and children.
The Concept of Well-Being
Well-being here refers to the stability and quality of relationships between the adolescent and parents, cognitive development, social and emotional adjustment, and behavioral development including health outcomes. The individual or family’s well-being is not regarded as an unified construct that can be measured using a single scale. However, it is considered as being a multidimensional outcome and is inter-related with considerable dependent variations (McAuley & Rose, 2011, pp. 212-218).
Family Relations and the Adolescent
Adolescence is a period that is marked with great challenges for the adolescent. For example, the adolescent has to accommodate the various biological changes that are taking place, the development of new emotional skills, and the attainment of autonomy (Maciejewski, et al., 2014, p. 515). It is also a period of transition that is emotionally demanding and hence the adolescent is highly susceptible to the development of internalizing and externalizing problems (Maciejewski, et al., 2014, p. 516). Moreover, this is a time of increased vulnerability for taking risks and engaging in impulsive and reckless behavior. These behaviors are, for example, experimentation with drugs, alcohol, sexual practices that are not safe, driving dangerously, and behavior that is violent and reckless.
The adolescent stage is a period of physical, social and cognitive development that is often associated with a lot of changes. For example, it precipitates significant changes in the adolescent’s relationships with his/her family. Family relationships are an intricate component of the adolescent’s personal and social life and influence not only their perception of the self but also the adolescent’s values and sense of self-worthiness (Micucci, 2009, p. 14). Positive family relationships are, therefore, key in the establishment of the adolescent’s self-esteem and self-concept. In addition, it establishes respect for self and others, positive role modeling and character, social competency and coping abilities and a sense of direction and goal orientation (Micucci, 2009, p. 13). However, the relations begin altering as the differentiation process begins to take place. The adolescent begins relying on themselves and their peers; they look for increased independence, and are unwilling to perceive themselves as being part of a hierarchy headed by their parents. Therefore, the parent- adult relationships experience heightened conflicts and decreased closeness and this affects the well-being of the adolescent (Micucci, 2009, p. 19).
Relationships in adolescence are an interplay between individual development and dyadic functioning. The capacity that continues changing in the relationship between the individuals as partners affects the relationship’s properties (Collins & Laursen, 2004, p. 336). Parents act as mediators within the avenues of parent – adolescent relationships and this influence the development and well-being of the adolescent. The process of mediation is dynamic and complex and this may negatively impact the outcome of the adolescent’s development (Collins & Laursen, 2004, p. 337). There are a number of parental factors in adolescent relationships that positively and/or negatively impact the development and well-being of the adolescent and these are discussed below.
Parental Factors
Parental Psychological Control
Parents often strive to provide their adolescent children with a combination of support and control. However, according to research that has been conducted in the area, some types of control are linked to poor outcomes in development (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 47). For instance, psychological control and manipulation of emotions including the invalidation of the adolescent’s feelings/emotions is linked to an increase in the internalization and externalization of problems. This is displayed by anxiety, depression, and increased externalization of problems. This is displayed by delinquency and aggressive behaviors that in turn affect the well-being of the adolescent (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 47).
Psychological control is defined as the techniques or parental behaviors that are psychologically and emotionally manipulative and unresponsive to the emotional and psychological needs of the children. Controlling parents create emotional environments that are coercive, unpredictable, or negative. These environments serve as the context that influences emotional regulation of children (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 48). Such a strategy in parenting does not consider the need for autonomy that is being developed by the adolescent; it impedes volition functioning of the child and interferes with the process of individuation. The adolescent in such a case conforms leading to emotional insecurity and dependence (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 48).
Emotional regulation is the process of modulating the occurrence, form, intensity, or the duration of internal states and the physiological processes to accomplish the set goals. Children with emotions that are dysregulated are associated with externalizing and internalizing problems. On the other hand, children that are optimally regulated are socially competent, empathetic, with prosocial behavior and minimal difficulties in adjustment and behavioral problems (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 48). Psychological control manipulates an individual’s emotions and makes parental love and acceptance contingent on the child’s behaviors. It is also highly likely that it has a deleterious effect on regulation of emotions that affect the well-being of the adolescent (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 48).
Studies have indicated a relationship between psychological control and increased problems in emotional regulation among adolescents. For instance, in a study conducted on Israeli children, conditional regard that is an aspect of psychological control was found to be linked to dysregulation of anger and fear. In addition, was associated with poor recognition of sadness and awareness and support for autonomy was related to effective regulation of emotion (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 48). Finally, in a current study, parental psychological control and the relationship to emotional regulation of adolescents and development of aggressive behavior and depressive symptoms indicated that parental manipulation was negatively associated with the regulation of anger. This was evident for both the parent and adolescent. They linked aggressive behaviors among the adolescents including depressive symptoms. Regulation of anger and sadness had a positive correlation. The variations of emotional regulation had a negative association with the depressive symptoms among adolescents with aggressive behaviors being reported for both adolescents and parents (Cui, Morris, Criss, Houltberg, & Silk, 2014, p. 51).
Therefore, while psychological control may be an approach by parents to ensure balance, it is manipulative and creates problems that relate to emotional regulation, and this negatively impacts the adolescent and the parent. Hence, psychological control has a negative impact on the well-being of adolescents.
Parent-Adolescent Negative Interactions
During adolescence, the adolescent experiences several developmental changes that may be perceived as challenging. This is the case since most adolescents are not acquainted with the multiple changes that are taking place. Therefore, they are likely to react with moods that are fluctuating compared to older adults and children (Maciejewski et al., 2014, p. 515). Studies indicate that children have more variability in regards to mood changes compared to adults with more pronounced mood swings during early adolescence (Maciejewski et al., 2014, p. 515).
Mood variability is understood as a cause of anxiety and depression when the adolescent’s social context is taken into consideration. The main symptom characteristic of generalized anxiety is worrying. This worrying is in most cases linked to interpersonal relationships. Studies highlight that worrying about interpersonal issues is strongly endorsed in generalized anxie...