Comparing Observations and Perceptions of Mother-adolescent Conflict: Youth with Typical Development, Intellectual Disability, or Autism Spectrum Disorders

ABSTRACT

Introduction: While transitioning to adulthood presents challenges for youth with developmental disabilities (DD), opportunities to develop adult social roles and communication skills may foster more optimal outcomes. One such opportunity is developing conflict resolution skills within parent-adolescent relationships.

Methods: We examined how reported conflict and observed conflict resolution behaviors differed between adolescents with typical development or DD, specifically intellectual disability (ID) and/or autism spectrum disorder, and their mothers. Participants (n = 167) were mid-adolescents (age 15) from a longitudinal study of how psychopathology develops in youth with or without DD.

Results: While mothers’ Reported Conflict was similar across groups, Mother Problem Solving was highest, and Youth Problem Solving lowest, in families of youth with ID. Higher Reported Conflict related to more negative observed conflict resolution behaviors across all groups.

Conclusions: Results are considered in the context of transitioning to adulthood.

KEYWORDS:

• Intellectual disability
• behavioral measurement methods
• autism
• parents
• parent-child conflict
• parent-adolescent relationships

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [34879-1459];National Science Foundation [Graduate Research Fellowship].