Interparental conflict and family cohesion: Predictors of loneliness, social anxiety, and social avoidance in late adolescence

H. Durell Johnson, Joseph C. LaVoie, Molly Mahoney

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

127 Scopus citations

Abstract

Family environment is related to characteristics of adolescents' personal development and social interactions. Although potentially different for males and females, decreased family cohesion and increased interparental conflict can inadvertently provide family environments that are associated with increased feelings of loneliness, which may be associated with problems in adolescents' social interactions (i.e., social anxiety and social avoidance). Analyses of responses from 124 late adolescents revealed that feelings of loneliness were related to perceived levels of interparental conflict for males and females and decreased family cohesion for females. Furthermore, late adolescents' feelings of social anxiety and social avoidance were related to their feelings of loneliness. The findings in this study show how deteriorated family systems may provide contexts that are associated with adolescents' feelings of loneliness as well as their ability to engage in social interactions outside of the family system.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)304-318
Number of pages15
JournalJournal of Adolescent Research
Volume16
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2001

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Sociology and Political Science

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