Examing Adolescent Behaviors In Support and Conflict Conversations with Romantic Partners
Open Access
- Author:
- Lou, Yan
- Graduate Program:
- Human Development and Family Studies
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- February 14, 2024
- Committee Members:
- Samantha Lauren Tornello, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Michael Hunter, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Heidemarie Laurent, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies - Keywords:
- Adolescent romantic relationship
Support and conflict
Attachment
Person-context interaction - Abstract:
- Adolescent romantic relationships are normative and developmentally important, with most having at least one romantic relationship by late adolescence. Experiences in romantic relationships are closely linked to adolescents’ identity and socioemotional development, academic and career achievement, and daily functioning. There are many studies on conflict and behavioral continuity across different relationships (i.e., family, peer, and romantic), and most are guided by an attachment framework. However, observational data are rare, and less is known about adolescent support and the impact of interaction context on adolescent romantic behaviors. The present study examined how 100 heterosexual adolescent couples’ behaviors (constructive problem solving, self disclosure, verbal aggression, negativity, positive affect/humor, and affection) differ between support and conflict conversations and what predicts behavioral variabilities (demographics, relationship duration, global romantic attachment, and conversation type and role). Adolescent couples in longer relationships engaged in more negative and fewer positive behaviors than couples in short ones. More romantically avoidantly attached adolescents engaged in less constructive discussion and open disclosure than less avoidant individuals. Overall, adolescents displayed less behavioral and emotional reactivity during support than in conflict conversations. Global romantic attachment and communication context were found to jointly impact adolescents’ verbal aggression, negativity, positive affect/humor, and affection. In general, adolescent behaviors vary by their attachment, support or conflict communication, and their role. This has potential implications for future methodological design to study adolescent romantic behaviors and intervention implementation.