An Exploration of the Environmental Setting Mothers and Early Adolescent Youth Prefer to Have Conversations About Daily Stressors
Publication Date
3-17-2024
Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Journal of Early Adolescence
DOI
10.1177/02724316241240111
Abstract
Parent-child conversations are impacted by environmental setting. Yet, few studies have considered where mothers and early adolescent youth prefer to have conversations about daily stressors. This study examines where mothers and youth prefer to have conversations about daily stressors, differences in preference based on demographic variables, and why certain environmental settings are preferred. One hundred youth (M = 11.04, 53% boys) and their mothers participated in semi-structured interviews. Findings showed that youth preferred to communicate in their bedroom, the kitchen, and the living room, whereas mothers preferred the kitchen, their child’s bedroom, and the car. Using thematic analysis, we found that participants preferred communicating in physically and psychologically comfortable environments, private locations that were away from others, and that they relied on bedtime and mealtime routines to engage in regular conversations. Findings suggest that the place mothers and youth converse matters and may meaningfully impact parent-child conversations about daily stressors.
Funding Number
ILLU-793–344
Funding Sponsor
National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch Project
Keywords
communication, family routines, leisure spaces, middle school, parent-adolescent relationships
Department
Child and Adolescent Development
Recommended Citation
Dina Izenstark, Janet Y. Bang, Kelly M. Tu, and Natalee Maynard. "An Exploration of the Environmental Setting Mothers and Early Adolescent Youth Prefer to Have Conversations About Daily Stressors" Journal of Early Adolescence (2024). https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316241240111
