Skewed autonomy-relatedness in preadolescents' conceptions of their relationships with mother, father, and best friend

Citation
Eve. Hodges et al., Skewed autonomy-relatedness in preadolescents' conceptions of their relationships with mother, father, and best friend, DEVEL PSYCH, 35(3), 1999, pp. 737-748
Citations number
64
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
ISSN journal
00121649 → ACNP
Volume
35
Issue
3
Year of publication
1999
Pages
737 - 748
Database
ISI
SICI code
0012-1649(199905)35:3<737:SAIPCO>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
Healthy adaptation within all close relationships-whether with parents, fri ends, or romantic partners-involves striking a balance between connectednes s to and independence from the relationship partner. For some individuals, adaptation within one or more relationships is skewed, or characterized by either an excessive concern for closeness that impedes autonomy (preoccupie d stance) or an excessive concern for autonomy that inhibits closeness (avo idant stance). Ln this study with boys and girls aged 9-14 years, children who reported a preoccupied or avoidant stance toward their mother displayed increased social impairment in the peer group over time. There were predic table associations among children's stances toward mother, father, and best friend. Children resembled their best friend in relationship stance. The s tudy illustrates the advantages of applying common relationship constructs (e.g., autonomy-relatedness) to the study of diverse close relationships.