Examining the longitudinal relations among adolescents' conflict management styles with parents and conflict frequency

Abstract

Parent-adolescent conflicts are not necessarily detrimental for adolescent development. The way adolescents handle conflicts with parents is of crucial importance. The present five-wave longitudinal study (N = 1313) focuses on how adolescents' conflict management behaviors and conflict frequency with parents are interrelated over time. Four conflict management behaviors were investigated: positive problem solving, withdrawal, engagement, and compliance. Using cross-lagged panel analysis, results for conflict behaviors toward mothers indicated that conflict frequency predicted more engagement, withdrawal and compliance, and less positive problem solving one year later. Positive problem solving predicted fewer conflicts and maladaptive conflict management behaviors over time, pointing to the potential protective role of positive problem solving against a conflictual climate and maladaptive management behaviors. Results were largely replicated in the father model. Ancillary multi-group analyses revealed no moderation by gender or age. Suggestions and implications for theory and practice are discussed.