Connection between subjective life satisfaction and mothers' relationships to their adolescents

Abstract

This study represents an additional research of the parental adjustment to psychological individuation of their adolescents and of the factors which are connected to the succesful adjustment. The intention of the study is to explore the connection between the subjective satisfaction with life at mothers of adolescents and the relationship with their adolescents. I was establishing the subjective satisfaction with life with Diener's Combined Satisfaction with Life Scale. For establishing the mothers' relationship with their adolescents I used The Questionnaire about the Relationship with Adolescent. I was also interested in how some demographic variables affect the mother–adolescent relationship and mothers' satisfaction with life. Satisfaction with life, the frequency and intensity of positive affects and satisfaction with various life domains are at adolescents' mothers significantly connected with some areas of relationship with adolescents. Mothers who express higher satisfaction with life assess their relationship with adolescent more positively and are more satisfied with their parental role. The frequency and intensity of positive affects are positively connected with openness in communication with adolescent and negatively with fear of loosing control over adolescent. Mothers who are on average more satisfied with various life domains are also more satisfied with their parental role and have less wishes about adolescent's change.

Keywords

• adolescence
• middle adulthood
• adjustment
• psychological individuation
• subjective satisfaction
• mothers