Studies reveal that teens show signs of independence when they argue with their parents

Studies reveal that teens show signs of independence when they argue with their parents

A new study on the behaviour of teenagers has shown that those youngsters who argue with their mothers show encouraging signs of independence rather than wild rebelliousness. The teenagers
who stand up for themselves, disagreeing with their parents, are less likely to succumb to peer pressure to drink or use drugs.

On the other hand, the scientists claimed that those young ones who abide by their parents’ will and abandon their opinion in order to avoid conflict are less autonomous and may be less
equipped to resist pressure from friends. Dr Joseph Allen led the study that was published in the Child Development journal.

Speaking to media, he said, “The healthy autonomy they’d established at home seemed to carry over into their relationships with peers.”

The research also revealed that teenagers with support from their mothers at the age of 13 were less likely to adopt the same patterns of substance use as their friends by their mid-teens,
which possibly indicates that they were more independently-minded.

A team of scientists from the University of Virginia conducted the study on more than 150 teenagers and their parents when the children were aged 13, 15 and 16 to examine how factors like
their relationships with family and friends and social skills might influence their chance of using alcohol or drugs.

The scientists found that children who at 13 were able to defend their view in a reasoned argument with parents about subjects like school grades, money or household rules were less likely
to share the same pattern of drink and drug use as their friends at the age of 16.

A co-author of the paper, Joanna Chango said, “It is not a case of shouting, pressuring or whining to get what they want – it is being persuasive in a reasoned, calm manner. If teens can
learn how to do that at home they are largely able to take that into their peer group as well.”

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Posted by Zeeshan Gohar on Dec 31 2011. Filed under Sci-Tech. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry