ROUTLEDGE LIBRARY EDITIONS: ADOLESCENCE Volume 7 THE ADOLESCENT IN THE FAMILY This page intentionally left blank THE ADOLESCENT IN THE FAMILY PATRICIA NOLLER AND VICTOR CALLAN Firstpublishedin1991byRoutledge Thiseditionfirstpublishedin2016 byRoutledge 2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,OxonOX144RN andbyRoutledge 711ThirdAvenue,NewYork,NY10017 RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness ©1991PatriciaNollerandVictorCallan Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedorutilised inanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,nowknownor hereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinanyinformation storageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthepublishers. Trademarknotice:Productorcorporatenamesmaybetrademarksorregistered trademarks,andareusedonlyforidentificationandexplanationwithoutintentto infringe. BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary ISBN:978-1-138-94766-5(Set) ISBN:978-1-315-64149-2(Set)(ebk) ISBN:978-1-138-95201-0(Volume7)(hbk) ISBN:978-1-138-95204-1(Volume7)(pbk) ISBN:978-1-315-66783-6(Volume7)(ebk) Publisher’sNote Thepublisherhasgonetogreatlengthstoensurethequalityofthisreprintbut pointsoutthatsomeimperfectionsintheoriginalcopiesmaybeapparent. Disclaimer Thepublisherhasmadeeveryefforttotracecopyrightholdersandwouldwelcome correspondencefromthosetheyhavebeenunabletotrace. The Adolescent in the Family Patricia Noller and Victor Callan First published 1991 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge a division of Routledge, Chapman and Hall, Inc. 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 © 1991 Patricia Noller and Victor Callan Typeset by LaserScript Limited, Mitcham, Surrey Printed and bound in Great Britain by Mackays of Chatham plc, Kent All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Noller, Patricia The adolescent in the family. - (Adolescence in society). 1. Adolescents. Psychology I. Title ü. Callan, Victor, 1954- ID. Series 155.5 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Noller, Patricia The adolescent in the family / Patricia Noller and Victor Callan. p. cm.- (Adolescence and society) Includes bibliographical references. 1. Parent and child. 2. Teenagers-Family relationships. 3. Adolescent psychology. I. Callan, Victor J., 1954- . ü. Title. HI. Series. HQ755.85.N65 1991 306.874-dc20 90-33412 CIP ISBN 0-415-01089-6 ISBN 0-415-01090-X Contents List of illustrations vi Preface vii Acknowledgements ix 1 Theoretical perspectives and controversies about adolescents 1 2 The generation gap 26 3 Communication in families with adolescents 41 4 Family environments and adolescent development 63 5 Leaving the family 86 6 Separation, divorce and re-marriage 106 7 The family and adolescent issues 123 References 141 Name index 163 Subject index 169 v Illustrations Figures 1.1 Types of identity status 11 1.2 Effects of parenting style on adolescents 16 4.1 Factors associated with adolescent rebellion 67 4.2 Effects of physical abuse on adolescents 69 5.1 Stages in selecting a partner 95 7.1 Effects for adolescents of reliance on family vs. peer group 124 7.2 Relationship between level of control in the family and problem behaviour of adolescents 130 Tables 2.1 Factors related to the size of the generation gap 38 3.1 Adolescents’ perceptions of communication with mothers and fathers 43 3.2 Teenagers seeking parental advice over two decades 53 4.1 Ratings by parents and adolescents of real and ideal adaptability and cohesion 65 4.2 Percentage of secondary school children reporting responsibility for 10 household tasks 76 5.1 Factors behind leaving home 88 5.2 Most common arguments with parents according to adolescents (1960s-1980s) 91 6.1 Adolescents’ feelings about the separation, and mothers’ perceptions of their feelings 110 6.2 Challenges confronting step-parents 118 vi Preface Adolescence has always been a controversial area of theory and research, and never more so than over the last twenty years. While adolescence was once just an area of academic discussion, many developments have made adolescence an area of great concern to members of the community at large, whether they be parents, politicians or those working with adolescents in education and/or welfare. With political and social issues such as youth unemployment, drug use and abuse and streetkids, almost everyone is aware of the problems facing particular groups of young people. In addition, many parents fear that these problems could affect their own family. While once psychodynamic interpretations of adolescence with their emphasis on ‘Sturm und Drang’ (or Storm and Stress) clearly domin- ated our perceptions of what adolescence was like, there was an im- plicit belief that the family played little part in the lives of adolescents who were only interested in being involved with and pleasing their peer groups. Parents were very much seen as the outsiders. Today there is a much greater understanding of the complexity of the needs of adolescents and their strong desire to be close to both their parents and their friends. Adolescents are expected to establish their independence through renegotiating their relationships with their parents to involve more freedom and flexibility. While most adolescents are prepared to take on the new responsibilities associated with growing up, they also need the help and support of their parents as they work through this process. Sometimes the supportive environment is not there for the adolescents, because of family conflict, the breakup of marriages and societal problems such as high levels of youth unemployment In this situation, a wide range of problems can result. We have written this book for those who want to understand the part a supportive family can play in helping adolescents cope with the physical and emotional changes associated with this period of their lives. In particular, we have developed the theme that adolescents, vii