Identity Styles and Conflict Resolution Styles: Associations in Mother–Adolescent Dyads

• Published in: Journal of youth and adolescence 2011-08, Vol.40 (8), p.972-982
• Main Authors: Missotten, Lies Christine, Luyckx, Koen, Branje, Susan, Vanhalst, Janne, Goossens, Luc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Development; Adolescents; Adult; Behavior; Behavior Problems; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Belgium; Biological and medical sciences; Child and School Psychology; Child development; Child Rearing; Children & youth; Clinical Psychology; Compliance; Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Coping; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developmental psychology; Empirical Research; Families & family life; Family (Sociological Unit); Female; Females; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health Psychology; History of Psychology; Humans; Identity; Identity formation; Intergenerational relationships; Interpersonal Relationship; Law and Psychology; Longitudinal studies; Male; Meta Analysis; Middle Aged; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Negotiating - psychology; Parent Child Relationship; Parenting Styles; Parents; Parents & parenting; Peer Groups; Problem Solving; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Questionnaires; Regression (Statistics); Regression Analysis; Resistance (Psychology); School Psychology; Self Actualization; Self Concept; Self esteem; Social Identification; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0047-2891; 1573-6601
• DOI: 10.1007/s10964-010-9607-5

Adolescent identity and parent–adolescent conflict have each attracted considerable research interest. However, few studies have examined the important link between the two constructs. The present study examined the associations between adolescent identity processing styles and adolescent conflict resolution styles in the mother–adolescent dyad. Questionnaires about conflict frequency and resolution were completed by 796 adolescents (66% female, mostly Caucasian) and their mothers. Adolescents also completed a measure on identity styles. Each identity style was hypothesized to relate to a specific conflict resolution behavior. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that the information-oriented identity style was positively associated with positive problem solving and negatively with conflict engagement and withdrawal, the normative style was positively associated with compliance, and, finally, the diffuse-avoidant style was positively associated with withdrawal and conflict engagement and negatively with positive problem solving. Our results demonstrated that the way in which adolescents tackle identity-relevant issues is related to the way in which they deal with conflicts with their mothers. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.