1 ADOLESCENT PEER GROUP ORIENTATION, ATTACHMENT/PARENTING STYLES AND ...

305 Pages·2014·5.62 MB·English

by  Deakin University

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ADOLESCENT PEER GROUP ORIENTATION, ATTACHMENT/PARENTING
STYLES AND MENTAL HEALTH

Submitted by
Jennette Robinson
Bachelor of Science
Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology

Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of
Degree of Doctor of Health Science

Deakin University
January, 2014

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Acknowledgements

Firstly, I would like to thank my Supervisors. Professor Joseph Graffam for giving me
the opportunity to undertake this research—the experience, at times, was like being
stranded in a broken down car in the middle of nowhere. I would also like to thank
Associate Professor, Lina Ricciardelli and Deakin University for their ongoing
support and commitment to help me complete this thesis. Importantly, I would like to
thank Clinical Psychologist Dr Rob Gordon, supervisor and mentor, who was
responsible for inspiring my research and steering it to completion—to him I will feel
forever indebted.

Secondly, I would also like to extend my warm thanks to work colleague and friend
Nicholas Place, who provided consultation on thesis formatting; and to Wendy
Chapman, the most interesting and humorous librarian I have ever met, for providing
her expertise in referencing.

Finally, I would like to thank my dog and best friend of eighteen and a half years,
Jock Robinson, who sat by me constantly during the entire process, and sadly passed
away the day before submission. I miss him dearly.
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CONTENTS
PART 1: INTRODUCTION 12
1.1 Foreword 12
1.2 Background 12
1.3 Structure of the Thesis 15
PART 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 16
Chapter 1 Framework for Understanding Adolescent Development 16
1.1 Introduction - Culture and Socialisation 16
1.2 Adolescent Development in Relationships and Groups 17
1.3 Sociocultural Perspectives on Development 24
1.4 Conclusion 30
Chapter 2 Adolescent Development and the Peer Group 31
2.1 Introduction - Theories of Adolescent Development 31
2.2 Developmental Phases of Adolescence 32
2.3 Development of Autonomy and Identity 35
2.4 Adolescent Development in the Peer Group 44
2.5 The Adolescent Social World 48
2.6 Developmental Structure and Functions of the Peer Group 51
2.7 Development of Psychopathology 61
2.8 Conclusion 64
Chapter 3 Attachment Style as a Structuring Process 66
3.1 Introduction 66
3.2 The Concept of Attachment and Internal Working Models 67
3.2.1 Concept of Trust 77
3.2.2 Concept of Communication 79
3.2.3 Concept of Alienation 82
3.3 Relationship of Attachment to Parenting and Mental Health 86
3.4 Criticism of Attachment and its Relation to Inter-subjectivity. 88
3.5 Conclusion 90
Chapter 4 Parenting Style as a Structuring Force 92
4.1 Introduction 92
4.2 The Concept of Parenting Style and its Measurement 94
4.3 Disaggregating Parenting Styles 100
4.4 Research Supporting the Social Benefits of Authoritative Parenting 105
4.5 Conclusion 107
Chapter 5 Integration of Chapters 108
PART 3: METHOD AND RESULTS 114
Chapter 6 Research Aims and Method 114
6.1 Research Aims and Hypotheses 114
6.2 Method 118
6.3 Data Treatment and Analysis 126
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Chapter 7 Results: Adolescent Peer Group Profile 128
7.1 Descriptive Data for Peer Group Categories 129
7.2 Peer Group Establishment by Age Group/Gender/Gender Composition 135
7.3 Peer Group Establishment, Group Structure, Number of Groups,
Establishment Combination. 138
7.4 Rating of Ease of Group Entry 139
7.5 Discussion 143
7.5.1 Establishing the Peer Group Context 143
7.5.2 Pattern of Peer Group Belonging 148
7.5.3 Patterns of Peer Group Entry 150
7.5.4 Conclusions 159
Chapter 8 Results: Attachment Security - Trust, Communication and
Alienation 161
8.1 Mother, Father and Peers Attachment Subscales 161
8.1.1 Correlations Among Attachment Subscales for Younger Males 161
8.1.2 Correlations among Attachment Subscales for Younger Females 163
8.1.3 Correlations among Attachment Subscales for Older Males 165
8.1.4 Correlations among Attachment Subscales for Older Females 168
8.2 Attachment Subscales by Age and Gender 169
8.3 Attachment Subscales by Peer Group Characteristics 171
8.4 Discussion 173
8.4.1 Attachment Subscales for Parents and Peers 173
8.4.1.1 Attachment Subscales for Mother 173
8.4.1.2 Attachment Subscales for Father 174
8.4.1.3 Attachment Subscales for Mother and Father 176
8.4.2 Attachment Subscales for Peers 177
8.4.3 Parent and Peer Attachment 180
8.4.4 Attachment and Peer Group Characteristics 181
Chapter 9 Results: Parenting Styles 183
9.1 Parenting Style Frequencies 183
9.2 Attachment Subscales by Parenting Style 185
9.3 Peer Group Characteristics by Parenting Style 189
9.4 Discussion 194
9.4.1 Parenting Style by Attachment Subscales 194
9.4.2 Parenting Style and Peer Group Characteristics 198
9.5 Hypotheses Addressing the Third Aim of this Research Study 199
Chapter 10 Results: Mental Health Indicators (MHI) 201
10.1 MHI by Age and Gender 202
10.2 MHI by Attachment Subscales 203
10.3 MHI by Parenting Style 206
10.4 MHI Indicators by Group Characteristics 207
10.5 Discussion 210
10.5.1 MHI by Attachment Subscales 210
10.5.2 MHI by Parenting Style 215
10.5.3 MHI by Group Characteristics 215
10.5.4 Hypotheses addressing MHI 216
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PART 4: DISCUSSION 217
Chapter 11 Interpretations and Conclusions 217
11.1 Developmental Differences for Age and Gender 219
11.2 Group Entry Characteristics 221
11.3 Group Belonging Characteristics 224
11.4 Adolescent-Parent IWMs and Peer Group Membership 226
11.5 Limitations and Future Research 235
11.6 Implication and Conclusions 241
11.7 Conclusion 243
REFERENCES 244
APPENDICES 285
Appendix 1 285

TABLES

Table 1 Infant Strange Situation Behaviour ........................................................... 70
Table 2 Baumrind’s (1966) Parenting Style Typology ........................................... 97
Table 3 Age Frequencies ...................................................................................... 119
Table 4 Summary of Adolescent Family Characteristics ..................................... 119
Table 5 Summary of Adolescent School Characteristics ...................................... 120
Table 6 Peer Group Names Derived from Adolescents’ Description of Their Peer
World ................................................................................................................. 129
Table 7 Adolescent Clique or Crowd Profile ....................................................... 130
Table 8 Peer Group Category (Feel Most Belong) by Age Group and Gender ... 131
Table 9 Reasons Adolescents Gave for Belonging to Their Group ...................... 133
Table 10 Peer Group Establishment by Youth or by Adults ................................... 134
Table 11 Age Group by Group Establishment ........................................................ 135
Table 12 Gender by Group Establishment ............................................................. 135
Table 13 Youth Established Groups for Male Age Group by Gender Composition of
Group ................................................................................................................. 136
Table 14 Youth Established Groups for Female Age Group by Gender Composition
of Group ................................................................................................................. 136
Table 15 Adult Established Groups for Male Age Group by Gender Composition of
Group ................................................................................................................. 137
Table 16 Adult Establishment Groups for Female Age Group by Gender
Composition of Group................................................................................................ 137
Table 17 Group Establishment by Group Structure ............................................... 138
Table 18 Group Establishment by Number of Groups Spend Time In ................... 138
Table 19 Group Establishment by Combination Group Establishment Adolescents
Spend Time In ............................................................................................................ 139
Table 20 Statement Attributed to Entry Ratings ..................................................... 140
Table 21 Ease of Entry Ratings by Group Reference ............................................. 141
Table 22 Group Reference and Ease of Entry by Age Group ................................. 142
Table 23 Group Reference and Ease of Entry by Gender ...................................... 142
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Table 24 Adolescent Attachment Subscales Correlated with Parent Attachment
Subscales for Younger Males ..................................................................................... 162
Table 25 Adolescent Attachment Subscales Correlated with Parent Attachment
Subscales for Younger Females ................................................................................. 164
Table 26 Adolescent Attachment Subscales Correlated with Parent Attachment
Subscales for Older Males ......................................................................................... 167
Table 27 Adolescent Attachment Subscales Correlated with Parent Attachment
Subscales Older Females ........................................................................................... 168
Table 28 Mother Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and
ANOVA-F Value by Age and Gender......................................................................... 169
Table 29 Father Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and
ANOVA-F Value by Age and Gender......................................................................... 170
Table 30 Peer Attachment Style Subscale Means, Deviations and ANOVA-F Value
by Age and Gender..................................................................................................... 170
Table 31 Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F
Value for Group Characteristic, Group Establishment Combination ....................... 171
Table 32 Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F
Value for Group Characteristic, Number of Groups Spend Time ............................. 172
Table 33 Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F
Value for Group, Ease of Entry into Groups ............................................................. 172
Table 34 Parenting Style Percentages and Frequencies for MPC and FPC ......... 183
Table 35 MPC and FPC Frequencies for Age Group ............................................ 184
Table 36 MPC and FPC Frequencies for Gender .................................................. 185
Table 37 MAC by Attachment Subscale .................................................................. 186
Table 38 FPC by Attachment Subscale .................................................................. 188
Table 39 MPC and FPC Frequencies for Group Establishment ............................ 189
Table 40 MPC and FPC Frequencies for Group Membership Structure .............. 190
Table 41 MPC and FPC Percentages and Frequencies of Groups Spend Time .... 191
Table 42 MPC and FPC Percentages and Frequencies for Group Referenced Ease
of Entry ................................................................................................................. 192
Table 43 MPC and FPC Percentages and Frequencies for Ease of Entry ............ 193
Table 44 Internalising MHI – Non-clinical, Borderline and Clinical by Age Group
and Gender................................................................................................................. 202
Table 45 Externalising MHI – Non-clinical, Borderline and Clinical by Age Group
and Gender................................................................................................................. 203
Table 46 Attachment Subscales Correlated with MHI ........................................... 204
Table 47 Attachment Style Subscale Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F
Values by MHI for Adolescents .................................................................................. 205
Table 48 Mental Health Indicator Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F
Value for Parenting Style Category ........................................................................... 206
Table 49 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Group
Establishment ............................................................................................................. 207
Table 50 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Group
Establishment Combination ....................................................................................... 207
Table 51 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Number of
Groups Spend Time .................................................................................................... 208
Table 52 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Group
Structure ................................................................................................................. 208
Table 53 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Group Factor,
Ease of Entry Group Reference ................................................................................. 208
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Table 54 MHI Means, Standard Deviations and ANOVA-F Value for Group Factor,
Ease of Entry into Groups.......................................................................................... 209
Table 55 Comparison of qualitative differences for PAQ, IPPA (attachment styles
[AS]) correlations, MHI, and group characteristics—and informed by the Research
literature. ................................................................................................................. 228

FIGURES

Figure 1 Developmental Pathways in Identity Formation ....................................... 42
Figure 2 Determination of Identity Status ................................................................ 42
Figure 3 Primary Group Structure........................................................................... 56
Figure 4 Secondary Group Structure ....................................................................... 56
Figure 5 Tertiary Group Structure ........................................................................... 58
Figure 6 The Development of Heterosexual Cliques, Crowds and Couples. ......... 157
Figure 7 Mean Scores for Mother Attachment Subscales by Age and Gender ...... 169
Figure 8 Group Belonging and Movement Between Groups. ............................... 224
Figure 9 Access to Group Homophily Pathway .................................................... 229
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Abstract

Adolescence is a central developmental phase in life. In particular, the quality of
relationships with parents and peers changes, and the peer group takes on new
functional and developmental significance. This research project examined how a
range of peer group characteristics, were related to parent and peer attachment,
parenting styles, and adolescents’ emotional and behavioural functioning. The peer
group characteristics included how groups are established, the hierarchical
membership of groups, gender composition, ease of entry into groups, and the number
of groups adolescents participate in.

The Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment ([IPPA]; (Armsden & Greenberg,
1986), the Parenting Authority Questionnaire ([PAQ]; (Buri, 1991), the Child
Behavior Checklist, YSR ([CBCL YSR]; (Achenbach, 1991)), and questions about
relationship quality and structure of adolescent peer groups were administered to 84
adolescents (35 males and 49 females) drawn from a secondary school population in
South West Victoria, Australia.

Adolescents predominantly reported belonging to friendship-based cliques established
by youth where there were no group leaders and members were considered to be
treated the same. Younger males were most likely to belong to same gender peer
groups, whereas younger females and older adolescents belonged to mixed gender
groups. The hypotheses that secure parental attachment is associated to easier group
access, and participation in a greater number of groups were not supported. There was
evidence to support a relationship between parenting style and a number of group
characteristics including: group establishment and membership hierarchy.

Adolescents parented in the maternal authoritarian or authoritative styles were more
likely to belong to groups established by youth (as opposed to adults) than adolescents
parented in a maternal undifferentiated or permissive style. Adolescents parented by
an authoritarian father were more likely to report belonging to groups with no group
leader, in which peers were considered equal, compared to adolescents parented in the
authoritative paternal style, who were more likely to belong to groups with one or
more group leaders. In addition, adolescents parented in the authoritarian paternal