The turbulent years : adolescents' conflict with parents

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to understand parent-adolescent conflict from the adolescents' point of view. The primary focus of this research was to look into the relationship between perceived parenting styles and the way parents and adolescents cope with conflict. Secondly it investigated possible gender differences in the experience of conflict as well as how the adolescents reacted to conflict with their parents. The sample consisted of 141 adolescent males and females attending an all boys church school and an all girls church school with a mean age of 14 .4 years. This study adopted a quantitative approach with the use of a structured questionnaire with some open ended questions. Results suggest that there are gender differences in the frequency and intensity of parent-adolescent conflict. There was a significant relationship between parenting styles and the way adolescents behaved and resolved conflict as well as what they perceived their parents to think about them. Recommendations and suggestions for future research are also included.