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Adolescent perceptions of overall family system functioning and parental behaviors

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Abstract

We used a systems perspective to examine relationships between adolescents’ perceptions of overall family system functioning and selected parental behaviors. Self-report questionnaire data from 160 ninth and tenth grade students were analyzed using MANCOVA and discriminant analysis. The results showed two parental behaviors, support and monitoring distinguished between types of overall family system functioning. Adolescents in balanced and moderately balanced overall family functioning reported greater parental support, while adolescents in balanced and extreme overall family functioning reported greater parental monitoring. We present the implications of our findings for parent education and assessment.

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Acknowledgment

An earlier version of this manuscript was presented at the National Council on Family Relations Annual Conference, Rochester, NY (November, 2001).

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Correspondence to Carolyn S. Henry.

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Henry, C.S., Robinson, L.C., Neal, R.A. et al. Adolescent perceptions of overall family system functioning and parental behaviors. J Child Fam Stud 15, 308–318 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-006-9051-z

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