(chap 6) FAMILY AND SOCIAL RELATIONS

FAMILY AND SOCIAL RELATIONS

Changes in the use of time and relationships

• Significant decrease in the amount of time spent with the family to respond to their developmental needs.

• Moments of solitude as a way of getting away from the demands of social relationships, regaining emotional stability and reflecting on questions of identity.

• Cultural variations: some increase their involvement with the family.

Adolescents and parents “relationships”

• largely based on the emotional closeness developed during childhood.

• In turn, they set the conditions for the quality of the relationship with a partner in adulthood.

• They are affected by the parents' living situation, their work, marital and socio-economic status.

Special challenges in adolescence relation to parents

• In adolescence, the ambivalence between dependence and the need to detach from their parents.

• In parents, there is ambivalence between giving sufficient independence and protecting from immature judgements.

Adolescents and peers

• It is the meaning of the peer group.

• A source of affection, solidarity, understanding and moral guidance.

• A place for experimentation.

• A stage to become autonomous and independent from parents.

• A place to form intimate relationships that serve as a rehearsal for adult intimacy.

Dyadic

are one-to-one and predominate in childhood

Gangs

are structured groups of friends who do things together and form as they move into adolescence, making the social system more complex and diverse

Collective

These social constructs based on reputation, image or identity do not usually exist before adolescence

Friendships

• Friendships increase in reciprocity, fairness and stability.

• Less satisfactory ones become less critical or are abandoned.

• Increased intimacy, loyalty and sharing → transition to more adult-like friendships.

• Greater dependence on friends and more shared confidence (greater intimacy between girls).

• Intimacy increases during early and middle adolescence and then usually decreases as intimacy with the opposite sex increases.

Romantic relationships

• Increased interaction with members of the opposite sex.

• From mixed groups or group dating to individual relationships that involve passion and a sense of commitment instead of friendships.

Romantic relationships Early adolescence

The main concern is how the romantic relationship may affect their position in the peer group.

Romantic relationships Middle adolescents

at least one exclusive partner for several months a year and less concern about peer group effect

Romantic relationships Late adolescence

romantic relationships meet the full spectrum of emotional needs