Discourse asymmetries in adolescent daughters' disputes with mothers

Author(s): Sassenberg, K., Pikowsky, B.

Journal/Book: Int J Behav Dev. 1999; 23: 27 Church Rd, Hove BN3 2FA, East Sussex, England. Psychology Press. 1001-1022.

Abstract: Audiotaped disputes of 101 mother-daughter dyads (daughter ages 11-20) were used to examine discourse asymmetry in parent-child relationships. To grasp the exchange of arguments, an observation instrument was designed. Parallel surveys assessed the extent to which mothers felt they tried to control daughters' behaviour and the extent to which daughters felt they tried to separate from and maintain connection with their mothers in their main argument. Findings suggest that mothers and daughters displayed dominant behaviour in different parts of the disputes. Although mothers dominated in the regulative aspects of discourse, daughters took the lead in the argumentative parts. They dominated in questioning mothers' arguments and adding counterarguments. Sequential analyses showed that daughters were more Likely to follow mothers' initiatives and contradict their arguments than vice versa. Subjective understanding of the discourse was related to specific interactions. Mothers' and daughters' verbal behaviour displayed a curvilinear age-dependent pattern. Subjective data, however, showed no age differences.

Note: Article Hofer M, Univ Mannheim, Dept Psychol & Educ, D-68131 Mannheim, GERMANY

Keyword(s): FAMILY CONFLICT; PERCEPTIONS; PARENTS; TRANSFORMATIONS; DISCUSSIONS; AUTONOMY; FRIENDS; FATHERS; AGE

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