Parent - adolescent conflict style and conflict outcome: Age and gender differences

Abstract

The present paper focuses on age and gender differences in parent - adolescent conflict styles (compromise and aggressive) and conflict outcomes (frustration, escalation and intimacy). Data were gathered by the Slovenian version of the ‘When we disagree’ scale, which was completed by 514 adolescents (54% female; 14 - 19 years old, split into two age groups). Results revealed significant differences between the adolescents’ perceptions of their own conflict style, and their mother/father conflict styles. Mothers were more often perceived to have either more aggressive or more compromising conflict styles in comparison to adolescents’ own stiles or fathers’ styles. Analyzing adolescents’ age differences, middle aged adolescents reported higher level of mother’s aggressiveness, higher levels of frustration and escalation in conflicts with mothers, as well as higher frustration in conflicts with fathers in comparison to their younger peers. Gender differences in style and outcome of conflicts revealed a more complex pattern: girls exhibited more compromising conflict style with mother and more aggressive conflict style with fathers than boys; there were no gender differences in parent - adolescent conflict outcomes. The established differences could inform policies, and help tailoring conflict resolution programs for this specific age group.

Keywords

• conflict style
• conflict outcome
• parent - adolescent relationship
• middle adolescence