Exploring Fathers’ Communicative Strategies in Conversations With Their Adolescents About Difficult Topics: A Mixed-Method Study

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Centering Culture in Adolescent Social and Academic Development (Table 4)

Abstract

Parent-adolescent conversations are a means through which parents support their adolescents during difficult times and help them develop emotional competence. However, little is known about fathers’ roles in this process. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore three strategies used by fathers during conversations about difficult topics with their adolescents: validation, self-disclosure, and dominance. Fifty-two middle-school students completed surveys, and a subsample of twenty participated with their fathers in 10-minute conversations. Regression results revealed that parental validation was the strongest predictor of adolescent emotional competence, and observational data revealed how the three strategies were implemented in the conversations. These results contribute knowledge of the nuances in these conversation strategies and how they interact in father-adolescent conversations.

Authors

• Marie-Anne Suizzo, University of Texas at Austin

• Ryan A. Mata, University of Minnesota

• Jeanne Klovert, University of Texas at Austin