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Much attention has been given to self-disclosure as an important component of parent-adolescent relationships. The authors address gaps in the current literature via a multimethod, multicultural design, interviewing 120 adolescents in Costa Rica, Thailand, and South Africa about their reasons for disclosing to parents, and then constructing items to represent the essence of the interview data and administering these items (along with measures of the parent-adolescent relationship and adolescent characteristics) to 2,100 adolescents in the same cultures. Analyses focus on discerning reasons for disclosure and on identifying profiles of adolescents who are more likely to disclose. Results reveal that adolescents from different cultures generally disclose for similar reasons and in similar patterns and that adolescents who disclose report social competence and, consistent with past research, positive parenting. (Contains 5 tables.)

Much attention has been given to self-disclosure as an important component of parent—adolescent relationships. The authors address gaps in the current literature via a multimethod, multicultural design, interviewing 120 adolescents in Costa Rica, Thailand, and South Africa about their reasons for disclosing to parents, and then constructing items to represent the essence of the interview data and administering these items (along with measures of the parent—adolescent relationship and adolescent characteristics) to 2,100 adolescents in the same cultures. Analyses focus on discerning reasons for disclosure and on identifying profiles of adolescents who are more likely to disclose. Results reveal that adolescents from different cultures generally disclose for similar reasons and in similar patterns and that adolescents who disclose report social competence and, consistent with past research, positive parenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated parental psychological control of adolescents when construed as disrespect of individuality. First, 120 adolescents from 5 cultures were interviewed and asked to identify specific parental behaviors that communicated to them that they were disrespected as individuals. The interview data were coded and 8 new survey items were constructed to reflect key content. These items were then administered to 2100 adolescents in the same cultures along with a traditional measure of psychological control (PCS). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that model fit was better when the two scales were kept separate, across culture and sex of parent. In structural equation models, the new scale - labeled Psychological Control - Disrespect - accounted for all and more of the variance in youth depression and antisocial behavior than the PCS did. The discussion centers on the validation the study makes of the construct and offers several suggestions for future research., (Copyright © 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)