Perception of Parental Behavior by Adolescents in Crisis

Abstract

The Bronfenbrenner Parent Behavior Questionnaire was used to study parental behavior as perceived by 86 adolescents (aged 12 to 18 yr.) in a crisis ward. In contrast to normal school age children, these adolescents viewed their parents as significantly more punitive, intrusive, restrictive, and to have higher demands for achievement for their children. A factor analysis of 15 subscales delineated four orthogonal factors: Nurturing, Punishing, Firm Control vs Lax Control, and Rejection. In terms of these factorial dimensions, no significant correlation was observed between the adolescents' perception of parental behavior and the specific forms of their crisis behavior, i.e., suicidal, aggressive, psychotic, and drug-induced psychotic behaviors.