A Meta‐Analysis of Parent–Adolescent Conflict: Disagreement, Hostility, and Youth Maladjustment

Parent–adolescent conflict is a normative characteristic of adolescence. However, research findings have been inconsistent, and the relative contributions of specific dimensions of parent–adolescent conflict (disagreement and hostility) to youth maladjustment are unknown. This meta‐analysis synthesized the literature on parent–adolescent conflict and distinguished disagreement, hostility, and composite measures of disagreement and hostility. A multilevel model was utilized to analyze 401 effects from 52 studies. Results indicate that parent–adolescent conflict is positively associated with youth maladjustment. The strength of this association varied as a function of youth maladjustment dimensions but not conflict dimensions. The association between parent–adolescent conflict and youth maladjustment also varied by youth gender and by longitudinal versus cross‐sectional design. Results suggest that both disagreement and hostility in parent–adolescent relationships have negative effects on youth development.