In this review it is argued that traditional attempts to classify the parent-adolescent relationship as either harmonious or discordant are misdirected. Relations between parents and adolescents vary in conflict. Although most parents and adolescents report that they rarely argue, in a minority of families conflict and discord are common. A review of the literature reveals that parent-adolescent conflict varies as a function of family social context, family structure, characteristics of parents and adolescents, and, most importantly, style of parent-adolescent interaction. From a behaviorial perspective the important components of interaction style are communication/problem-solving skills, the techniques parents use to manage their adolescents, and the exchange of positive and negative behaviors.
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