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Abstract

Cultural differences in the dynamics of conflict between parents and adolescents were studied in 40 working-class Australian resident families, 20 of whom were of Anglo-Celtic descent and 20 Greek-born, and 40 Greekresident families, 20 of whom were working-class and 20 professional class. Levels and seriousness of conflict were investigated as well as three aspects of conflict dynamics: behaviour during conflict, styles of resolving conflict, and beliefs about the consequences of conflict. Mothers and adolescents were more aware than fathers of conflict and its effect on family life, they had a more differentiated set of conflict behaviours and were able to accept conflict as part of life which need not have long-term serious consequences. The results suggested that although cultural variation in response to conflict was not extensive, the immigrant Greek parents responded in ways which reflected both their Greek origin and their country of residence while their adolescents appeared to have moved towards an Anglo-Australian mode of responding. Implications for a culture conflict model, a cultural differences model and an assimilation model of intergenerational conflict in immigrant families are discussed.

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A Cross-National Study of the Influence of Culture on Conflict Between Parents and Adolescents

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