Emotional separation and detachment as two distinct dimensions of parent—adolescent relationships

Abstract

The study examined adolescents’ emotional separation and detachment from parents, analyzing their relations with connectedness and agency, with some aspects of self—other boundary regulation and with problem behavior. The participants were 331 Italian adolescents, aged from 16 to 19 years (mean age = 17.40, SD = 1.14). Separation and detachment were positively related; they were negatively related to connectedness; detachment was also negatively associated to agency. Emotional separation was negatively predicted by empathic concern, perspective-taking and separate self; emotional detachment was negatively predicted by empathic concern and self—other differentiation. Separation negatively predicted internalizing behavior, and detachment positively predicted internalizing and externalizing behavior. Globally, findings showed that emotional separation and detachment are two distinct dimensions of the parent—adolescent relationship.

The Leuven Adolescent Perceived Parenting Scale (LAPPS): Reliability and Validity with French-Speaking Adolescents in Belgium

“…Detachment (8 items; e.g., "My parents probably talk about different things when I am around from what they talk about when I'm not") measured more conflictual and radical forms of distancing from one's parents, including distrust and perceived alienation. Construct validity of the two subscales was established in several studies (Beyers et al, 2005;Beyers et al, 2003;Ingoglia, Lo Cocco, Liga, & Lo Cricchio, 2011;Pace & Zappulla, 2010). In the present study, alpha was .76 for separation and .63 for detachment and the two subscales were moderately correlated (r = .27, p < .001) in the subsample of French-speaking adolescents.…”

Autonomy and Relatedness in Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Relationships with Parental Support and Psychological Distress

“…A growing body of research has shown that both autonomy and relatedness are associated with psychosocial adjustment (Chirkov 2012;Deci and Ryan 2000;Ingoglia et al 2011;Lo Cricchio et al 2012;Kagitçibaşi 2005;Ryff and Singer 1998). During adolescence, researchers have found several positive outcomes linked to acting in an autonomous and self-determined way (for overviews, see Deci and Ryan 2000;Vallerand 1997): Autonomous functioning tends to be associated with high feelings of well-being expressed in terms of self-esteem and life satisfaction (Levesque et al 2004).…”

Relational Experiences as Explanatory Factors for the Development of Criminal and Antisocial Behavior: A Scoping Review

“…Many studies were not based on a general population sample, instead focusing on specific groups, such as criminal offenders (Schimmenti 2014;Lahlah 2013;Kimonis 2013;Simons 2008;Wileman 2008;Palmer 2007;Kiriakidis 2006). Eleven studies evaluated both male and female participants (Schimmenti 2014;Nunes 2013;van der Voort 2013;Delhaye 2012;Sousa 2011;Ingoglia 2011;Johnson 2011;Hiramura 2010;Day 2009;Tyler 2006;Heaven 2004), whereas six studies exclusively evaluated male participants (Lahlah 2013;Kimonis 2013;Simons 2008;Wileman 2008;Palmer 2007;Kiriakidis 2006). Most studies were quantitative; however, some studies employed a cross-sectional (Nunes 2013;Lahlah 2013;Kimonis 2013;Delhaye 2012;Ingoglia 2011;Hiramura 2010;Day 2009;Simons 2008;Palmer 2007;Kiriakidis 2006;Heaven 2004) or longitudinal design (van der Voort 2013;Sousa 2011;Johnson 2011;Tyler 2006).…”

“…For instance, Delhaye et al (2012) reported that delinquent youth scored significantly higher on measures of detachment, suggesting a conflictual and radical form of distancing from parents, including distrust and perceived alienation. Similarly, Ingoglia et al (2011) found that adolescents with parental detachment tended to report higher levels of aggressive and disruptive behavior. Nunes et al (2013) identified similar associations, documenting that high levels of parental rejection (measured as disappointment, hostility and conflictual interaction between the parent and child) were correlated with high levels of aggression and delinquency.…”