Reciprocity and change within the affective family environment in early adolescence

This study examined: (1) the extent and change of affective relationships b etween young adolescents and their parents over a two-year period; and (2) the amount of reciprocity or concordance of family feelings. Relationship p atterns were examined longitudinally from the child's sixth to eighth grade in school (Petersen, 1984). Mothers, fathers, and adolescents completed th e Lowman Inventory of Family Feelings (LIFF; Lowman, 1974, 1980). The resul ts are based on a longitudinal sample of 54 complete triads and between 128 and 284 dyads depending on measurement point and informant. Family feeling s were positive overall, but declined by eighth grade. Herl, no differences in results depending on the gender of the adolescent or the parent were de tected. Nonreciprocity of family feelings was only present in sixth grade b ut not in eighth grade. At sixth grade, boys especially, shared less positi ve family feelings. Results indicate the importance of studying the quality and change of parent-offspring relationships across adolescence.