African female adolescents' experience of parent–adolescent relationships and the influence thereof on their well–being

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase that includes substantial physical, social and psychological changes (Department of Health, 1999) and is considered to be a psychologically turbulent and emotional period in a person’s life (Strong, De Vault, Satad & Yarber, 2001) that can also have an influence o n parent–child relationships. The purpose of this stud y is to specifically focus on parent– adolescent relationships of African female adolescents as research and literature is limited regarding African female adolescent s’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships and the dynamics involved. Little is known of how African female adolescents experience the relationship they have with their parents and what their needs are regarding these relationships. The objectives of this study are to explore and describe African female adolescents’ experience of parent–adolescent relationships, and to explore aspects of African female adolescents’ relationships with their parents that may influence their sense of well–being. Thirty and thirty–two African female adolescents participated voluntarily in graphic family sculpting and focus group interviews respectively. Six focus group interviews at Randfontein High School, Gauteng, provided rich data on African female adolescents’ experience of parent adolescent relationships and aspects of the relationships that influence their sense of well being. The findings suggest that the majority of the participants experience a more positive relationship with their mothers than with their fathers, and that positive and negative aspects in their relationships with their parents is perceived to influence their well–being. The importance of communication was a very prominent theme in the focus group discussions. With regard to graphic family sculpting, the findings also suggest that the mothers have a more prominent and positive role and participants experience their fathers as less involved.