The social contexts of adolescence Families and parents

Parenting functions: v Provision of basic resources and caring for the home. v Protecting children and adolescents. v Guiding children’s development. v Advocating on behalf of children in the community.

Factors that support or undermine parents’ competence u Personal and psychological resources ue.g, emotional maturity; knowledge. u Characteristics of the adolescent ue.g., temperament; gender; age. u Contextual sources of stress and support ue.g., marital relationship; work.

Parent-Adolescent Relationships Classification of Parenting Styles Authoritative Authoritarian Indulgent Neglectful Accepting, responsive Rejecting, unresponsive Demanding, controlling Undemanding, uncontrolling

How Parents Influence Their Children  Modeling of behaviors  Giving rewards and punishments  Direct instruction (teaching)  Stating rules for behavior  Reasoning, discussing  Providing materials resources

Parent-Adolescent Relationships  Autonomy and Attachment  The ability to attain autonomy and gain control over one’s behavior in adolescence is acquired through appropriate adult reactions to the adolescent’s desire for control.

Parent-adolescent conflict  Conflict can be a positive factor in adolescent’s emotional development.  Conflict can be adaptive  Conflict can serve an informational function.  Conflict can help adolescents develop autonomy.

Parent influences on identity development  Interest in and involvement with their children;  emotional intensity;  degree and nature of family contact;  parenting style.

G. Elder’s research: l High levels of parent-child interaction; l use of frequent explanations; l democratic or equalitarian parenting;

Parents’ involvement in education Parents tend to be less involved in their children’s education once they have moved onto secondary school.

Reasons: l Schools bigger and further from home l Curriculum is more diverse l Multiple teachers l Mothers more likely to be employed l Student autonomy

Parent functions l Monitor homework l Help students make post- secondary plans l Reward achievements and behavioral improvements l Attend school events and teacher conferences