Does family communication influence adolescent development?
Studies conducted in recent decades suggest that the quality of parent-adolescent communication is key to maintaining a positive relationship and can influence different aspects of adolescent development.
Below, we will highlight some of the most relevant results:
Psychological adjustment
A positive relationship has been found between adolescent self-esteem and specific aspects of parenting, such as the participation of each parent, their availability, and the quality of the relationship with the parents.
An open and positive family environment fosters psychological adjustment during adolescence, as young people who feel their thoughts and opinions are valued show higher levels of self-esteem. Similarly, good communication and parental interest in their adolescent children's activities are linked to greater respect for and adherence to boundaries and rules by the children.
The democratic style reveals itself as the optimal style. It has been linked to higher self-esteem and life satisfaction, as well as the fostering of more secure bonds between parents and children and a greater sense of autonomy, better psychosocial maturity, work orientation and social competence, as well as a lower incidence of emotional maladjustment problems.
Overprotective parenting styles have also been associated with high levels of self-esteem, while authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles are linked to lower levels of self-esteem.
Socialization
The family context plays a crucial role in the development of conflict management skills. A positive and supportive relationship between parents and adolescents is known to foster the development of adolescent autonomy and enable them to express their own point of view during conflicts.
In contrast, negative and controlling interactions between parents and children undermine the autonomy of adolescents and can evoke reactive and oppositional behaviors, contributing to the generation of new conflicts.
A climate of parental support based on supporting the adolescent's autonomy, and on a good responsiveness on the part of the parents, has been associated with less conflict in the parent-child relationship and a management of these conflicts based on positive resolution.
Risk behaviors
Studies suggest that healthy family communication is a key indicator of whether an adolescent will engage in high-risk behaviors. It has been argued that children who perceive their families as more cohesive and providing higher levels of emotional support are less likely to commit suicide and to initiate sexual activity at an early age . Similarly, in the field of substance abuse, the important protective role of the family as a mediating factor for other predictors of substance use has been highlighted.
A significant association has also been found between family dysfunction and early initiation of full sexual relations.
Aggressive behaviors
Numerous studies have indicated that maladaptive and violent behavior in adolescents is associated with inappropriate parenting practices, ineffective parental supervision and guidance, and negative relationships among family members. In other words, the family can act as a protective factor against aggressive behavior in adolescents.
Adolescents who feel emotionally involved with their families show greater confidence and independence and a lower tendency to commit violent and antisocial acts . Bullying behavior has been linked to several family variables and parenting styles, such as low parental involvement, harsh and authoritarian parenting, parental disagreement, and high levels of parental stress.
Peer victimization has also been associated with parenting styles such as high levels of aggressive and reactive parenting, intrusive and unresponsive parenting, and a lack of cooperative parent-child relationships. Conversely, family cohesion has been identified as a protective factor for both the bully and the victim.
Identity formation in adolescence
The way parents and children relate to each other also has an impact on the future formation of the latter's identity. Thus, studies suggest that adolescents whose parents support their autonomy and refrain from using psychological control are more likely to feel free to explore and adopt their own sense of personal identity.
Conversely, parents who interfere in the inner thoughts and feelings of teenagers and impose a certain way of thinking or acting are more likely to inhibit the teenagers' ability to be in tune with their inner selves, making it difficult for them to make decisions related to identity.
School adjustment
Regarding school adjustment, research shows that adolescents from families with a democratic style exhibit good school adjustment, with adequate academic competence and orientation towards school, are less involved in episodes of school misconduct, and are more oriented towards achieving both mastery and performance goals.
Emotional education of children and young people
In summary, although communication with our teenage children can sometimes be difficult and frustrating for both parties, numerous studies confirm that family communication is fundamental to facilitating their proper socio-emotional development and the successful overcoming of this stage.
This is an original article from the School of Health at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona. For more information on family communication, please consult the 12th FAROS Report "A look at the mental health of adolescents - Keys to understanding and supporting them."
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