Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

1            Adolescence and Families

1.1                Views of Adolescence

1.2                Stereotypes of Adolescence

1.3                The Chronology of Adolescence

1.3.1             Childhood to Adolescence

1.3.2             Early Adolescence to Late Adolescence

1.4                The Developing Brain

1.5                Community and Political Involvement

1.6                Summary

2            Theoretical Perspectives on Adolescents in the Family

2.1                Family Systems Theory

2.2                Cognitive Theories

2.2.1             Adolescent Egocentrism

2.3                Individuation

2.4                Identity Formation

2.4.1             Family Structure and the Development of Identity

2.4.2             Ethnicity and Identity

2.4.3             Marcia’s Identity Statuses

2.4.4             Identity Styles

2.5                Attachment Theory

2.5.1             Attachment Functions

2.5.2             Attachment Styles

2.5.3             Transfer of Attachment

2.6                Life Course Theory

2.7                Positive Youth Development

2.8                Summary

3            Family Environment and Adolescent Development

3.1                Family Structure

3.1.1             The Role of Financial Difficulties

3.1.2             Financial Difficulties or Problems with Parenting?

3.1.3             Presence or Absence of Fathers

3.1.4             Instability of Family Structure

3.2                What Makes a Positive Family Environment?

3.2.1             Characteristics of Parent/s

3.2.2             Parent Personality

3.2.3             Attachment Security

3.2.3.1          Correspondence Between Attachment Styles of Parents And Offspring

3.2.3.2          Impact of Attachment on Parenting Style

3.3                Mental Health of Parents

3.3.1             Parent Depression

3.3.2             Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

3.4                Marital or Relationship Satisfaction, Conflict And Violence

3.4.1             Marital Satisfaction

3.4.2             Marital or Relationship Conflict

3.4.2.1          Violence

3.5                Relationships with Extended Family and Community

3.5.1             Social Class/Economics

3.5.2             Neighbourhoods and Communities

3.6                Work and Family

3.7                Family Functioning and Discipline

3.7.1             Parenting Style

3.7.1.1          Encouragement of Autonomy

3.7.1.2          Cohesion, Flexibility and Communication

3.7.1.3          Parental Rejection

3.7.1.4          Level of Control and Monitoring

3.7.1.5          Discipline

3.8                Sibling Relationships

3.8.1             Differential Parenting

3.8.2             Sibling Relationships and Adolescent Adjustment

3.9                Summary

3.10              Implications for Practitioners

4            Communication in Families with Adolescents

4.1                The Changing Nature of Parent-Adolescent Relationships

4.2                Parent-Adolescent Communication

4.2.1             Gender of Parent Differences

4.3                Transmission of Values

4.4                Decision-Making in Families with Adolescents

4.5                Disclosure and Secrecy

4.6                Conflict in Families with Adolescents

4.6.1             Identity Styles and Conflict

4.6.2             Gender of Adolescent Differences in Parent-Adolescent Conflict

4.6.3             Conflict Styles

4.6.4             Positive Aspects of Parent-Adolescent Conflict

4.6.5             Negative Aspects of Parent-Adolescent Conflict

4.7                Parental Discipline

4.8                Communication with Siblings

4.9                Family Relationships and Relationships with Peers

4.10              Technology and Communication

4.11              Culture and Communication

4.12              Summary

4.13              Implications for Practitioners

5            Adolescents in Divorced and Separated Families

5.1                Residential Arrangements and Adjustment Following Divorce

5.1.1             Residential Arrangements

5.1.2             Shifting of Residences

5.2                Communication About the Divorce

5.2.1             Inappropriate Disclosures by Parents

5.3                Conflict and Children’s Adjustment Following Divorce

5.3.1             Conflict and Adjustment

5.3.2             Sex Differences in Reactions to Conflict

5.3.3             What Adolescents Say About Their Parents’ Conflict

5.4                Long term Effects of Divorce on Adjustment

5.5                Conflict, the Legal System and Adjustment

5.6                Shared Family Time and Family Resilience Following Divorce

5.7                Racial and Ethnic Differences in Experiencing Parents’ Marital Disruption

5.8                Adolescents’ Management of Relationships with Divorced Parents

5.8.1             Negative Evaluations

5.8.2             Controlling Information

5.8.3             Controlling Visitation

5.9                Children’s Perceptions of Their Sibling Relationships Following Divorce

5.9.1             Hostility and Warmth in Sibling Relationships

5.9.2             Explaining Affect-Intense Relationships

5.10              Parental Divorce and Adolescent Problem Behaviour

5.10.1           Divorce-Proneness and Adolescent Problem Behaviour

5.10.2           Environmental or Genetic Factors?

5.10.3           Parental Divorce and Offspring Mental Health

5.10.3.1        Divorce and Long-Term Depression

5.10.4           Does Divorce Cause These Problems?

5.11              Divorce and Romantic Relationships of Offspring

5.12              Living in a Stepfamily

5.13              Summary

5.14              Implications for Practitioners

6            The Family and Adolescent Issues

6.1                Positive Youth Development

6.2                Externalizing Behaviours

6.2.1             Alcohol and Illegal Drugs

6.2.2             Smoking

6.2.2.1          Risk and Protective Factors for Smoking

6.2.3             Issues Around Sexuality

6.2.3.1          Sexual Activity

6.2.3.2          Sex Education and Contraception

6.2.3.3          Pregnancy and Childbearing

6.2.4             Conduct Disorder, Antisocial Behaviour, Aggression and Delinquency

6.2.4.1          Conduct Disorder

6.2.4.2          Aggression and Antisocial Behaviour

6.2.4.3          Delinquency

6.3                Internalizing Behaviours

6.3.1             Depression

6.3.1.1          Effects of Parental Depression

6.3.1.2          Coercive Family Processes

6.3.1.3          Supportive and Facilitative Interactions

6.3.1.4          Life Skills and Depression

6.3.2             Self-harm and Suicide

6.3.3             Eating Disorders

6.4                Summary

6.5                Implications for Practitioners

7            Leaving the Family

7.1                Emerging Adulthood, Delayed Transitions and Leaving Home

7.2                Family Structure and Leaving Home

7.3                Family Relationships and Leaving Home

7.4                Leaving Home for College

7.5                Leaving Home for the Military

7.6                Leaving Home to Marry or Cohabit

7.7                Rural Youth Leaving Home

7.8                Running Away From Home

7.9                Homelessness

7.10              Summary

7.11              Some Implications for Practitioners

8            Risk and Resilience in Adolescence

8.1                Characteristics of Resilience

8.2                Characteristics of Resilient Adolescents

8.3                Resilience and Mental Illness

8.4                Individual Factors and Resilience

8.5                Family Factors in Resilience

8.5.1             Secure Attachment

8.5.2             An Emotionally Warm Atmosphere

8.5.3             Open Communication

8.5.4             Provision of Encouragement and Support

8.5.5             Adequate Rules and Supervision

8.5.6             Sex Differences in Resilience

8.6                Resilience and Emotion Regulation

8.7                Resilience Against Depression

8.8                Self-esteem, Resilience and Protection from Risky Behaviour

8.9                The Importance of the Family Environment

8.10              African-American Youth: A Case Study

8.11              Temperament and Resilience

8.11.1           Temperament and Parenting: How They Interact

8.12              Conclusions

References

List of Figures

List of Tables

Index