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Adolescent Girls' Relationships with Mothers and Best Friends
Author(s) -
Gavin Leslie A.,
Furman Wyndol
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8624.1996.tb01739.x
Subject(s) - psychology , attunement , developmental psychology , harmony (color) , negotiation , observational study , social psychology , interpersonal relationship , medicine , art , alternative medicine , pathology , political science , law , visual arts
The present study examined factors associated with harmony in adolescent girls' relationships with their mothers and their best friends. A framework was proposed in which relationship harmony was expected to be related to individual characteristics of each partner and the match between the individual characteristics of each partner. 60 adolescent girls, their mothers, and their best friends participated in self‐report and observational tasks. Harmonious mother‐daughter partners (vs. disharmonious ones) had more similar needs, felt their needs were better met, perceived their partners as more socially skilled, and had more similar interests. Harmonious friends (vs. disharmonious ones) had more similar needs, and target adolescents perceived partners to be more socially skilled and better at meeting their needs. Observational ratings of attunement, positive affect, and power negotiation were greater in harmonious relationships with both mothers and friends. Discussion focuses on the value of a common framework for studying different relationships.