Effects of Pubertal Status and Conversation Topic on Parent and Adolescent Affective Expression

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between adolescent pubertal status and the expression of positive and negative affect by parents and adolescents. Parents and adolescents were observed during pleasant and unpleasant conversations. Data were obtained from 85 mother-father-adolescent families who participated in this laboratory study. Four findings emerged. First, the expression of negative affect by both mothers and fathers significantly increased as adolescents physically matured Second, parent and adolescent positive affect did not significantly change as a function of pubertal status. Third, few parent-adolescent dyad differences were found for parent expression of negative affect, although increases in adolescent negative affect occurred mainly with mothers, especially for daughters. Fourth, parents and adolescents were more positive toward each other in pleasant conversations and more negative in unpleasant conversations. Results were discussed in terms of recent theorizing and research on parent-adolescent relations. The relevance of models of the structure of affect to the study of affective expression also is discussed.

Job loss and the mental health of spouses and adolescent children

“…Perhaps as a result, mothers and adolescents, particularly mothers and daughters, are more frequently engaged in conflict within the household (Paikoff and Brooks-Gunn 1990;Allison 2000). More generally, Steinberg and Silk (2002, p. 117), drawing on evidence provided by, among others, Montemayor et al (1993), Larson andRichards (1994), andLaursen (1995), conclude that "adolescents' relationships with their mothers are more intense than those with fathers; this intensity includes not only greater closeness but also more charged and more frequent conflict." Given this, it is perhaps not surprising that mothers' job loss is experienced most deeply by their adolescent daughters.…”

Relation entre les comportements interpersonnels et la dépression chez des adolescents en fonction du genre /

“…Des explications possibles à la prédiction observée dans la présente étude entre le (Larson & Richards, 1994;Laursen, 1995;Montemayor, Eberly & Flannery, 1993). La relation père-fils est moins intime que la relation mère-fils.…”

Emotional expression in adolescent -parent communication.

“…In fact, of the multitude of projects looking at parent-adolescent communication in the previous 30 years, only ten have employed the dyadic design (Beaumont, 1995(Beaumont, , 2000Beaumont & Cheyne, 1998;Beaumont et al, 2001;Flannery et al, 1994;Hakim-Larson & Hobart, 1987;Kahlbaugh Emotional Expression 23 et al, 1997;Montemayor et al, 1993;Rodick et al, 1986;Whalen et al, 1996). Of these ten studies, only three have considered both the mother-adolescent and father-adolescent dyads (Flannery et al, 1994;Montemayor et al, 1993;Whalen et al, 1996).…”

“…Montemayor, Eberly and Flannery (1993) and Flannery, Montemayor, and Eberly (1994) investigated the possible effect of the adolescent's pubertal status on emotional expression in adolescent-parent conversations. For both of these reports, the participants included a sample of 85 two-parent families with adolescents in grades five through nine (average age =12.8 years).…”