Parent-adolescent relationship and adolescents' adjustment problems: adolescents' voices.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine parent-adolescent relationships as perceived by adolescents and its relationship with adolescents’ adjustment. In order to measure parent-adolescent relationships psychological control, involvement, parental warmth and communication have been used as variables. Furthermore, self-esteem, school adjustment, substance use and depression are used as measures of adolescents’ adjustment outcomes. The study’s cross sectional survey design utilized a stratified random sample with structured questionnaires for the collection of quantitative data involving multiple variables that are examined to detect patterns of association and prediction. The participants comprise 809 adolescents (Males = 427 and Females = 382) from four private and government high schools and the average age of participants is 16.8. The participants were randomly selected from Grade Level 9, 10, 11 and 12. Independent t-test, correlation, and regression analyses are used to analyse the data in this research. The results of the independent sample t-test on the perception of adolescents’ relationship with their parents showed that male adolescents perceive their mothers and fathers as more psychologically controlling than female adolescents. On the other hand, female adolescents perceive their mothers and fathers as warmer; more involved in their schooling; and engage in a more positive communication than do the male adolescents. In addition, the independent sample t-test also shows that male adolescents exhibit more adjustment problems than do female adolescents. Specifically, male adolescents seem to show more substance use behaviour, have lower self-esteem, more school adjustment problems and a higher depression level as compared to female adolescents. The correlation analysis reveals that there is a significant relationship among the four-parent-adolescent relationship and adolescent adjustment variables. The regression analysis also demonstrates that the four-parent-adolescent relation predictor variables account for adolescent adjustment though their contribution to the prediction was varied by the gender of the adolescents’ parents. This research; however, does not consider father-adolescent communication as a significant predictor to adolescent school adjustment and mother-adolescent communication as a significant predictor to adolescent depression. Theoretically, the present findings provide evidence that positive parent-adolescent relationships can be considered as a relevant protective factor for adolescents. For policy consideration, it is suggested that efforts be made to establish quality after school youth programs to engage adolescents in several mentoring activities, and family based coping programs should be established based on the centrality of the family for better family functioning.