The nature of adolescents' relationships with their "very important" nonparental adults.
As part of a larger program of research on the nature of adolescents' relationships with very important nonparental adults (hereafter referred to as "VIPs"), a community sample of 243 eleventh graders (mean age = 16.6 years) was surveyed, and a subgroup of 55 adolescents and their VIPs were interviewed about the nature and quality of their relationships. Results showed that (a) adolescent-VIP relationships were a normative component of adolescent development, not a result of problems in adolescents' lives; (b) adolescent-VIP relationships were generally of high quality (e.g., high support, low conflict, and high mutuality); (c) there were significant differences between kin and nonkin VIPs in terms of the duration of relationships and frequency of contact, but not in the quality of relationships; and (d) VIPs whom adolescents designated as extremely important were distinguished from other VIPs in terms of providing a higher level of social support and a higher frequency of contact. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Beam
Margaret R
MR
University of California-Irvine, USA. margaret_beam@rmccorp.com
Chen
Chuansheng
C
Greenberger
Ellen
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires