Communication And Conflict Resolution Between Parents And ...

Parents on the other hand have difficulties relinquishing control resulting in conflictual parent-adolescent communications pathways and potentially escalating negative consequences for all involved. The adolescence stage is a developmental phase that requires a restructuring of the parent-child relationship in which communication plays a central role.

Research shows that most parent-adolescent conflict tends to be about mundane issues such as personal appearance, curfews, telephone usage, completing chores and homework among such issues. It is however suggested that such mundane conflicts may be proxies for concern over more complex and sensitive issues involving trust, independence, peer influence, risky behaviors and sexuality.

Several investigations have established that frequent and often intense relationship breakdowns between parents and adolescents can have severe effects contributing to the externalizing and internalizing problems including delinquency, running away form home, substance abuse, adjustment disorders, low self esteem and depression. On the parents side such ongoing conflict has been found to contribute to parental dissatisfaction depression, anger and marital distress (Robin & Foster, 1989).

Given the likelihood of negative consequences resulting from dysfunctional parent -adolescents relationships, the goal of treatment is to improve communication between parents and adolescents. Highlights for the intervention have included the need to assess the nature of interpersonal conflict in order to improve parent-adolescent communication and negotiation skills.

It is however not clear, whether it is the quantity, intensity, source, perceived discrepancy and or emotional impact of the conflict between parents and an adolescent that contributes most to the poor parent-adolescent relations. The challenge for clinician therefore is to develop procedure that can assess and alleviate familial conflict.

Research shows that?from late childhood to adolescence, factors outside of the family become increasingly more predictive of adolescent problem behaviors. Dysfunctional conflict, engendering beliefs, anger, triangulation, cross generational coalitions, and shifting parental coalitions get in the way of family members responding and negotiating in a constructive fashion.

Foster and Robin (1997,1998) propose that family problem solving, communication patterns, belief systems and family structures mediate the intensity, frequency and pervasiveness of family conflict. They developed a behavioral Family system therapeutic approach to treat conflict in family which includes:

a) Educating and teaching family members how to negotiate conflict, focusing on solution-specific disputes

b) Remeding negative communication patterns and nurturing self regulatory affective and cognitive skills such as learning how to communicate without antagonizing

c) Cognitively restructuring dysfunctional conflict-engendered beliefs and attributions

d) Engaging family members in problem-solving and behavioral contracting

e) Engaging in self monitoring and practicing how to apply these skills

f) Learning to challenge their belief systems through personal experiment at home

This approach has two constructs based on communication and conflict; fundamental to any understanding of a parent-adolescent relationship. A study done by Smetana and Gaines (1999) established that about 1/3 of parents -adolescents conflicts are resolved by the adolescent submitting to the parents. In the other 2/3, the parents concedes, uses threats and punishments, compromises, seeks a mutual solution, or lets the issue go unresolved.

The best approach to parent-adolescent conflict involves thorough functional assessment of the nature of scope of parent-adolescent conflict. It is important to consider barriers that hinder conflict resolution and the strength that help. Engaging the whole family by encouraging engagements towards one another helps. Distorted cognitions as well as dysfunctional communication and problem solving skills must be addressed to prevent the escalation of the problem.

Do yuou have any information you would like to share? and be paid for? Join Bukisa and get paid for writing about what you like. http://www.bukisa.com/join/26502

Written by serowa
Advocate, freelance writer, mentor, counselor, Christian

recorded live october 5th 2007
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Source: http://www.ourvisuallegacy.com/communication-and-conflict-resolution-between-parents-and-adolescents/

sneakers microsoft security essentials microsoft security essentials npd oliver twist ky ky