La adquisición de autonomía conductual durante la adolescencia: expectativas de padres e hijos

Resumen

En el presente trabajo se pretende caracterizar las expectativas de padres e hijos ante las demandas de autonomía conductual que se producen en la adolescencia. Para ello se ha diseñado un cuestionario con el propósito de evaluar laspercepciones de padres e hijos sobre el grado de autonomía alcanzado por éstos, las reacciones de padres e hijos ante el cumplimiento o no de sus expectativas sobre la independencia personal y el nivel de concordancia dentro del sistema familiar. Los resultados indican que los adultos y los adolescentes difieren tanto en la percepción de las conductas realizadaspor éstos como en la violación y ajuste de sus expectativas. Además, la edad del adolescente, pero no su género, permite diferenciar las respuestas de los participantes. Desde el punto de vista intrafamiliar, la concordancia padres-hijoses mayor durante la adolescencia temprana, y el tipo de discrepancia observada varía en función del momento evolutivo en el que se encuentran las familias.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse parental and children's expectations regarding adolescent behavioural autonomy. A questionnaire was developed for this purpose to assess: 1) parental and children's perceptions on adolescent autonomy, 2) how adolescents react when their expectations are or not fulfilled, and 3) the degree of intra-familial agreement. Results showed that adults and adolescents differed both with respect to how they perceive adolescent behaviour, and their expectations in terms of violations and/or adjustments. These differences were found to depend on adolescents' age, but not gender. Parent-child agreement was higher during early adolescence rather than later on. The type of discrepancies observed varied according to family developmental stage.

Extended Summary

Parents and children's ability to predict changes in adolescents' behaviour are analysed in terms of developmental timetables, expectancies, and their skill to manage discrepancies between previous expectations and actual adolescent behaviour.

The sample consisted of 115 adolescents (59 males, 56 females) and their parents. Three age groups were represented: early adolescence (12 to 13 year-olds; 12 males, 7 females), middle adolescence (14 to 15 year-olds; 14 males, 21 females), and late adolescence (16 to 18 year-olds; 33 males, 28 females). No differences were found among the three age groups on parental education.

The data collection took place at the participants' home, where an assessment instrument specifically developed for this study, made up of 21 types of behaviour representing autonomy, was administered individually to adolescents, fathers and mothers. Participants were asked to inform: 1) whether certain behaviours were or were not observed or carried out by the adolescent; 2) whether the observed behaviour coincided with expectations; 3) whether prior expectations had changed and in what way; and 4) at what age adolescents could gain self- government.

Our first aim was to clarify the role of parental education level. The results showed that parents with a high level of education seem to be more aware of: the onset of the transition to adolescence, and also of the importance of making some developmental tasks easier for them. Moreover, these children were more autonomous during middle adolescence.

The second aim of the study was to analyse whether adults and adolescents held different perceptions of adolescent autonomy. Our results support those obtained in previous studies (Collins and Luebker, 1994; Dekovic, Noom, and Meeus, 1997; Feldman and Quatman, 1988), stating that adolescents as a group are prone to report earlier ages for achieving developmental landmarks than adults do. However, the reported sequence in which these behaviours take place is very similar for both adults and adolescents. In sum, they hold similar views on what essentially constitutes adult behaviour, though they disagree on when they start to develop and the speed to reach them.

Next, we analysed whether adolescents' age and gender affect their parents and/or their own expectations. No significant gender differences were found. Significant main effects of adolescent age were found in all three samples. Late adolescents—compared to early and middle adolescents—reported a higher proportion of autonomous behaviours and also tend to assume their own authority over these behaviours. Indeed, both mothers and fathers of late adolescents also reported that their children carry out more autonomous behaviours than those in the other two age-groups. Moreover, compared to early and middle adolescents' parents, they consider their children to be mature enough to grant them the responsibility of self-government in more of these behaviours, specially when adolescents followed parents guidelines.

Finally, we have found that families' perception of autonomy varies as a function of adolescents stage of development. During early adolescence, parents and children hold similar views on adolescent autonomy. However the latter tend to consider themselves more autonomous than their parents do. During middle adolescence, the amount of autonomous behaviour reported by children is significantly higher than those reported by their parents. Discrepancies in the violation of expectancies begin to appear for the first time during this period. Lastly, parent-child differences in the perceived need of co-regulation disappear during late adolescence, with the exception of those behaviours parents have always considered inappropriate.

Palabras clave:

• Autonomía
• expectativas
• atribución de competencia
• discrepancias padres-hijos
• calendarioevolutivo

Keywords:

• Autonomy
• expectations
• attribution of competence
• parent-child discrepancies
• developmental timetable