Susan Branje

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Alon Lischinsky

Oxford Brookes University

Shawn Cassiman

University of Dayton

Scott R. Stroud

The University of Texas at Austin

Remo Caponi

University of Cologne

Roberto Frega

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique / French National Centre for Scientific Research

Samuel LÉZÉ

École Normale Supérieure de Lyon

Joseph Raz

Columbia University

Jaume Rossello-Mir

Universitat de les Illes Balears

Paolo Carta

University of Trento

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The University of Texas at Austin

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Parent Conflict Resolution

The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development

Conflict is omnipresent in all family relationships, and some conflict with parents can be regard... more Conflict is omnipresent in all family relationships, and some conflict with parents can be regarded as a normal part of family relations during adolescence. Adolescents tend to have disagreements with their mothers most frequently, followed by siblings, friends, romantic partners, and fathers. Angry disagreements occur more frequently with family members than with close peers (see peer conflict resolution; Laursen & Collins, 2009). Most parent-adolescent disagreements concern mundane topics or so-called daily hassles, and these conflicts are thought to be related to adolescents' development of autonomy and individuation. However, too many conflicts are risky for adolescents' psychosocial adjustment and well-being. Adolescents who have more conflicts with their parents have more externalizing and internalizing problems; lower levels of self-esteem, well-being, and adjustment to school; and more frequent substance use. This may reflect bidirectional processes: Adolescents' conflicts with parents may lead to lower psychosocial adjustment, and their adjustment problems may in turn trigger more conflict with parents. How parents and children handle their conflicts is important for parents' and children's relationship satisfaction and well-being. Conflicts are an inevitable part of relationships, and some conflict between parents and children can thus be regarded as a normal part of family relations. Although too many conflicts may be a risk for children's and parents' psychosocial adjustment and well-being, conflicts with parents also have a clear function in child development. In conflicts, children learn to express their opinion and to take the perspective of others. When parents teach their children to resolve conflicts positively and to find compromises or solutions that are acceptable to all parties, children may acquire the necessary conflict resolution skills to satisfactorily resolve disagreements in relationships with others later in life, such as friends, partners, and colleagues. The way in which children handle and resolve their conflicts with parents is therefore important to take into account when considering the role of conflict in relationships. Four types of conflict resolution styles can be distinguished which differ in the level of concern for oneself compared to concern for others (Chang, D'Zurilla, & Sanna, 2004) and in the extent to which they are constructive. Positive problem solving is the most constructive style and involves trying to understand the other's point of view, negotiating, and using constructive reasoning to work out compromises. Positive problem solving The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development. Edited by Stephen Hupp and Jeremy D. Jewell.

Susan Branje

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