Dysfunctional relationship beliefs in parent-late adolescent relationship and conflict resolution behaviors

College Student Journal, March, 2007 by Zeynep Hamamci

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of dysfunctional relationships beliefs on both the perceptions of their relationships with the parents and conflict resolution behaviors of late adolescence. The sample was consisted of 372 Turkish university students (248 women and 124 men). Interpersonal Cognitive Distortions Scale, Parents-Adolescent Relationship Scale and Conflict Resolution Scale were administered to individuals. Result indicated that dysfunctional relationship beliefs were negatively associated with conflicts resolution behaviors, especially about focusing on others' needs and anger management during conflict. The beliefs, including beliefs concerning being very close to others in their relationships causes negative consequences had the highest correlation with conflict resolution behaviors. And low correlations were found between perceived parent-adolescent relations and dysfunctional relationships beliefs. In addition, individuals with low dysfunctional beliefs had significantly more conflict resolution behaviors in their relationship than those with high dysfunctional beliefs.

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Cognitive behavioral theory has postulated that thoughts such as irrational beliefs, dysfunctional beliefs or cognitive distortions are important factors for the emergence and continuation of dysfunctional behaviors and psychological disorders in individuals (Beck, 1976; Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979; Ellis, 1962; Walen, DiGiueseppe, & Dryden, 1992). Since the 1980s, the literature in this area has focused on beliefs about relationships (Beck, 1988; Eildeson & Epstein, 1982; Ellis, 1986; Epstein, 1982; Epstein & Eidelson, 1981). Relationships beliefs are considered health promoting if they facilitate individuals' adjustment to relationship and their personal growth. Such cognitions reflect realities in relationship (Sullivan & Scwebel, 1995). In contrast, dysfunctional relationship beliefs are defined as highly exaggerated, rigid, illogical, absolutist beliefs about the nature of relationships, about themselves and others in relationsnip (DiGuiseppe & Zee, 1986; Ellis, 1993; Ellis, 2003). According to cognitive behavioral theory, irrational or dysfunctional relationship beliefs have a profound influence on distressed relations (Ellis, Sichel, Yeager, DiMattia, & DiGuiseppe, 1989; Epstein, Baucom, & Rankin, 1993). Many studies focused on dating or marital relations found that irrational relationhip beliefs are negatively related to individuals' experiences in ongoing romantic or marital relations. When individuals hold irrational relationship beliefs, they are less satisfied and adjusted in their relations (Addis & Bernard, 2002; Cramer, 2004; Debord, Romans, & Krieshok, 1996; Epstein, Pretzer, & Fleming, 1987 ; Moller & Van der Merwe, 1997; Moller & Van Zyl, 1991; Stackert & Bursik, 2003).

The cognitive model as applied to marital relations was expanded to understand family relations (Epstein, Schlesinger, & Dyden, 1988). Cognitive-behavioral approach to family therapy posit that individual's cognitions about family shape their behaviors within family systems and affect their feeling (Smith & Schwebel, 1995; Sullivan & Schwebel, 1995;). Cognitions related to the family relations can direct the individual's understanding of family life and they can also form how a person perceives and reacts to family members and events in family life. The content of individuals' relationship beliefs is pivotal in determining the quality of their relationships (Schwebel & Fine, 1994). Additionaly, Robin & Foster (1989) and Robin, Koepke & Moye (1990) proposed that strong adhelerences to unrealistic beliefs about family relations would lead distress and promote conflict between family members. They assumed that unrealistic beliefs induce angry reactions to parents and adolescent disagreement, imploding effective communication or rational problem solving and promoting reciprocity of negative effect and behavior.

Many research in this field examined the contributions of cognitive factors to distressed parents and adolescents relations. Results indicated that distressed parents and adolescents hold more irrational relationhip beliefs and more conflict than nondisstresed parents and adolescents group (Erytiksel, 1996; Erytiksel & Aktin, 2003; Robin, Koepke & Moye,1990; Vincent-Roehling & Robin, 1986) Morever, Vincent-Roehling & Robin (1986) reported that there was significant relationships between adolescents' irrational beliefs and maternal conflict. And also, it was reported that irrational relationship beliefs was a significant predictor of perceived attachment toward father and students who reported less attached to their fathers were holding more dysfunctional relationship beliefs (Sinclair & Nelson, 1998). Reed & Dubow (1997) also examined the association between mothers' and adolescents' actual communication behavior during a problem solving interaction task and their irrational beliefs. They found that mothers' irrational beliefs about the adolescent were positively related to negative communication behaviors.