Adolescent Aggression and Parent-Adolescent Conflict: Relations between Observed Family Interactions and Measures of the Adolescents' General Functioning

Abstract

The degree to which aggression is trait-like for adolescent boys and girls was examined in the families of 30 boys and 30 girls, nine to fourteen years of age and representing all five stages of pubertal development. Behavioral assessments included: (a) observational measures of aggressive behaviors shown by adolescents and controlling behaviors shown by parents in the context of family interaction and (b) trait-like measures of the adolescents' general functioning. Findings include evidence that increased expression of assertive forms of aggression is a developmental phenomenon for boys. Also, for boys, adjustment problems based on the trait-like measures were associated with adolescent inflexibility, defiance shown to both parents, and anger shown to mother, as well as controlling behaviors shown by both parents in the family interaction situation. For girls, adjustment problems based on the trait-like measures were associated with inflexibility and poor ability to concentrate in the family interaction situation. The findings suggest that adolescents' aggressive behaviors with parents represent trait-like as well as problem behavior more so for boys than for girls.

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