NCJ Number
224241
Journal
Journal of Adolescent Research Volume: 23 Issue: 5 Dated: September 2008 Pages: 544-565
Date Published
September 2008
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article describes the joint friendship projects of mothers and their adolescents.
Abstract
Qualitative analysis of the data revealed joint projects which were characterized by the pursuit of competing priorities. Efforts to balance competing priorities are described as three forms of balancing acts: organizing time for friendships and responsibilities; adolescent independence with friends while ensuring physical safety; and balancing inclusion in the peer context and the risk of physical and emotional harm from friends and peers. Noted is that friendships during adolescence have long been recognized as significant for individual psychosocial development, and that increased understanding of how peer and family spheres jointly influence adolescent development and psychological adjustment is important as well. The procedures used in the study were similar to those used in earlier studies of career development projects, and data collection of two broad types of data occurred during the study in four phases. This investigation describes the joint goal-directed series of actions, or joint friendship projects, of 19 mothers and their adolescents, 10 mother-daughter and 9 mother-son pairs. Data were collected through videotaped conversations, video recall interviews, and self-report logs collected over an 8-month period in Canada. References