title: Contribution of parents' adult attachment and separation attitudes to parent-adolescent conflict resolution.
abstract: This study examined the contribution to parent-adolescent conflict resolution of parental adult attachment styles and attitudes toward adolescent separation. Questionnaires were completed by 295 couples with early to late adolescent children. Structural equation models were used to test self and partner influences on conflict resolution for three attachment orientations: confidence (model A), anxiety (model B) and avoidance (model C). Model A showed self influences between parents' confidence orientation and negotiation and also via positive attitudes towards separation. Also, the fathers' use of negotiation was facilitated by the mothers' confidence orientation and vice versa, indicating partner influences as well. Model B showed self influences between parents' anxiety orientation and the use of dominance and withdrawal and also via negative attitudes towards separation. Model C showed self influences between parents' avoidance orientation and dominance and withdrawal, and a partner influence between fathers' avoidance and mothers' use of dominance. The results indicated that the parents' adult attachment system and the parenting system were related in the area of conflict resolution, and that self influences were stronger than partner influences.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Agency of Barcelona-CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Ruiz
authors.forename: María José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodrigo
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hernández-Cabrera
authors.forename: María Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Máiquez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D017008:Negotiating; D009769:Object Attachment; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Parent adult attachment; attitudes toward adolescent separation; conflict resolution styles; self and partner influences