Citation

Smollar J, Youniss J. Int. J. Behav. Devel. 1989; 12(1): 71-84.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1989, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/016502548901200104

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In this article, the connections between adolescents' perceptions of their relationships with parents and the concept of individuation are explored. Individuation is discussed with respect to its relevance for understanding the transformations that occur in parent-child relationships as the child moves through adolescence toward adulthood. It is proposed that individuation is a necessary process in the transition from childhood to adulthood since it allows the child to develop a self-identity that is separate from that of parents while at the same time to remain connected to parents as important sources of advice and psychological support. Some data are provided suggesting that the separation and connectedness that characterise the process of individuation are the product of a transformation in adolescents' perceptions of parents in which parents, who are seen in childhood as "allknowing" and "all powerful" beings are first de-idealised and then come to be appreciated as persons themselves. Finally, the value of the concept of individuation for understanding adolescence is proposed to lie in its focus on the child in the context of relationship with others rather than as a separate entity. This focus is seen as providing a basis for attending to the social context in the study of adolescence.

Language: en