Parent‐adolescent conflict: A developmental approach

Relying on developmental theories, this study predicted patterns of parent‐adolescent conflict across early, middle, and late adolescence. The predictions were supported for 32 of 36 cells in a 3 (adolescent phases) by 3 (conflict strategies) by 4 (traditional role relationships) matrix. Overall, the current findings strengthen the proposition that phases of adolescence represent successive and progressive differences in adolescent development which alter and eventually improve interaction during parent‐adolescent conflict. As predicted, these changes fluxuated somewhat across the parent‐child role relationships (mother‐son, mother‐daughters, father‐sons, and father‐daughter).