Maternal Conforming Values and Adolescent Psychosocial Adjustment Nell N. Manning, Joseph P. Allen, Ph.D. University of Virginia Kathleen B. McElhaney, Ph.D. Davidson College Amanda Hare Wrenn Thompson Jennifer Haynes Joanna Chango Claire Stephenson Katherine Little Erin Miga Martin Ho Collaborators: Christy McFarland Jill Antonishak, Ph.D. Jessica Meyer Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D. Mindy Schmidt Rosenbaum, Ph.D. Penny Marsh Farah Williams

We know that... Development of autonomy is a key task of adolescence

We know that... Development of autonomy is a key task of adolescence Doing this within a context of close relationships is also important

We know that... Development of autonomy is a key task of adolescence Doing this within a context of close relationships is also important Parents who can’t handle the demands placed on them by their adolescents’ development of autonomy are set up to struggle

What parent orientations or values are linked, positively or negatively, to autonomy and relatedness processes in adolescence?

Conforming Values politeness, obedience, neatness, conventional success Conformity (M.L. Kohn,1963,1977)

Conforming Values politeness, obedience, neatness, conventional success Conformity independence, curiosity, initiative, kindness Self-direction Social relationships vs. (M.L. Kohn,1963,1977)

Conforming Values politeness, obedience, neatness, conventional success Conformity independence, curiosity, initiative, kindness Self-direction Social relationships vs. (M.L. Kohn,1963,1977) Conforming values linked to low socioeconomic status

Conforming Values, Autonomy, and Relatedness Autonomy Valuing conformity suggests a lack of valuing autonomy Links to authoritarian parenting beliefs and behaviors Links to lower levels of creativity and curiosity (Kohn, 1963, 1977; Schaefer and Edgerton, 1985; Luster, Rhoades, & Haas, 1989; Wright & Wright, 1976) Relatedness Focused on standards of group and culture Less alert to adolescent’s unique concerns, experiences, and needs More judgmental

Links to other psychological constructs Valuing of conformity = rigid emotional stance Conformist stage of ego development (Loevinger, 1976) Kohlberg’s conventional moral reasoning (Kohlberg, 1968) Ego brittleness (vs. ego resiliency) (Block, 2002; 1989; Block & Kremens, 1996) Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (Oltmanns, Melley, & Turkheimer, 2002)

Questions Is maternal valuing of conformity linked to adolescents’ autonomy and relatedness in their: Relationships with mothers? Relationships with friends? Intrapsychic development?

University of Virginia Kids, Lives, Friends, and Families “Kliff” Project 184 adolescents, their parents, and best friends Equal numbers of males and females Assessed first at age 13, next at age 14, and again at age 16 Socio-economically diverse (median family income= $40-$60K) 58% Caucasian; 29% African-American; 13% other or mixed ethnic groups Intensive interviews and observations with all parties

Assessment of Maternal Conforming Values Parenting Values Questionnaire (Schaefer & Edgerton, 1985; Kohn, 1977) Mothers are required to rank in order of importance a list of commonly desired behaviors for their adolescents. The valuing of conformity scale includes items such as, “I hope my adolescent will have good manners.”... keep him or herself neat and clean.”... obey parents and teachers.” Higher scores represent a greater valuing of conformity

Are maternal conforming values related to autonomy processes in mother-teen relationship and interaction patterns?

Mother-teen relationship patterns: measures Mothers’ undermining of adolescent autonomy Adolescents’ positive relatedness with mother Observational assessments of videotaped interactions Autonomy & Relatedness Coding System (Allen, et al., 1998) Mother’s supportive attention to teen Observational assessment of videotaped interactions Supportive Behavior Task Coding System (Allen et al., 1999) Mother’s psychological control Childhood Report of Parental Behavior Inventory (Schaefer, 1965) Mother-teen total conflict Parent-Child Conflict Questionnaire (Hetherington & Clingempeel,1992)

Mothers’ observed inhibition of teen autonomy Mothers with more conforming values are more likely to inhibit their teens’ displays of autonomy.

Mothers’ observed supportive attention to teen Note. *** p <.001. ** p ≤.01. * p <.05. Mothers with more conforming values are less attentive to and supportive of their teens as individuals.

Teens’ observed relatedness with their mothers Note. *** p <.001. ** p ≤.01. * p <.05. Adolescents of more conforming mothers are less likely to be positively connected and related to their mothers.

Mother-child conflict over time Mothers who value conformity are more likely to report an increase in conflict with their adolescents over time.

Mothers who value conformity in their adolescents more highly are more likely to: Undermine their teens’ autonomy Pay less attention to their teens as individuals Have teens who are less positively related with them Experience greater increase in conflict with their teens over time

Are maternal conforming values related to intrapsychic markers of adolescent autonomy and relatedness?

Intrapsychic markers of adolescent autonomy and relatedness: measures Adolescent attachment security Adult Attachment Interview (Main & Goldwyn, 1998) and AAI Q-set (Kobak et al., 1993) Adolescent ego development Sentence Completion Task (Hy & Loevinger, 1996)

Teen intrapsychic development: attachment security

Teen intrapsychic development: ego development Mothers who value conformity are less likely to have teens who are secure or mature.

Are maternal conforming values related to teens’ autonomy and relatedness with their peers?

Maternal conforming values and autonomy and relatedness with peers: measures Adolescents’ display of autonomy with best friend Adolescents’ confidence with best friend Observational assessments of videotaped interactions Autonomy and Relatedness Coding System for Peer Interactions (Allen, Porter, & McFarland, 2003) Popularity Sociometric nominations received from same-age peers (Coie, 1982) Friendship competency Harter Self-Perception Profile: rated by best friend when teen was 13 and again at age 16

Teens’ observed autonomy with best friend Adolescents of more conformity-valuing mothers are less likely to display autonomy with their friends. Relative decrease in teen-peer autonomy over next year? Trend only (p<.06)

Teens’ observed confidence with peers over time Adolescents of mothers with more conforming values show a greater loss of confidence from age 13 to 14 when interacting with their peers.

Teens’ friendship competence over time Adolescents of mothers with more conforming values show a relative loss of competence in friendship from age 13 to 16.

Teen popularity Maternal valuing of conformity is negatively related to teens’ popularity with school-aged peers.

Adolescents whose mothers have more conforming values are likely to: Have lower levels of attachment security and ego development Display lower levels of autonomy in interaction with their friends Show greater decreases in confidence displayed with friends from age Show greater decreases in friend-rated friendship competence from age 13 to 16 Be less popular with their peers

Conclusions Maternal conforming values are linked to: less teen autonomy with mothers and friends less teen relatedness with mothers and friends less secure and mature intrapsychic development Like maternal behaviors, general values are important. Whence conforming values?

Limitations Causality is not implied by any of these data; all are correlational. Parenting values do not always compete or conflict with each other. Data on fathers also needs to be examined. Longer longitudinal patterns of interactions should be examined.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank the National Institute of Mental Health for funding provided to Joseph Allen, Principal Investigator, for the conduct and write-up of this study. A copy of this paper and other publications on related topics is available at Address correspondence to: Nell N. Manning University of Virginia, Dept. of Psychology P.O. Box Charlottesville, VA