The adolescent's experience of parental discipline
Date
2004-12
Authors
Visser, Juanita
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Adolescents are often perceived as moody, rebellious, disinterested in school and inclined to risky
behaviours such as premature sex, drug-taking and alcohol abuse.
As a result of the 'storm and stress' period that they are associated with, parents appear to lose
touch with their adolescents, and fail to maintain the close bonds that they took for granted while
their children were young. In attempts to control their adolescents' behaviour, parents seem to
drive their teenagers further away from them.
The conclusion is reached that adolescents experience parental discipline in a way that either
creates a sense of belonging to the family unit, or causes them to become distant and defiant of
parental authority.
A qualitative approach is used to establish what adolescents experience as positive and what they
experience as negative regarding their parents' disciplinary styles. The study is undertaken in a
private school in a suburb of Cape Town.
The study revealed the following:
• A democratic parenting style creates a sense of worthiness in the adolescent. In this
atmosphere adolescents feel nurtured and respected and therefore grow into well-balanced
young adults.
• Parents should take note of their adolescents' emotional experiences and attune their
disciplinary approach in order to obtain their children's willing co-operation to be guided
towards adulthood by their parents.
• Most teenagers do appreciate and respect their parents.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessente word dikwels beskou as buierig, rebels, ongeïnteresseerd in skool en geneig tot riskante gedrag soos voortydige seks, dwelmgebruik en alkoholmisbruik. As gevolg van die 'storm-en-drang' - periode waarmee hulle geassosieerword, verloor ouers dikwels voeling met hul adolessente, en faal hulle daarin om die noue bande wat hulle as vanselfsprekend met hul jonger kinders aanvaar het, met hul tieners te behou. Die slotsom word bereik dat adolessente ouerlike dissipline ervaar op 'n manier wat óf gehegtheid met die gesinseenheid skep, óf verwydering en opstandigheid teenoor ouerlike gesag in die hand werk. 'n Kwalitatiewe benadering is gebruik om vas te stel wat die adolessent as positief en as negatief ervaar ten opsigte van ouers se dissiplineringstyle. Die studie is in 'n privaatskool in 'n voorstad van Kaapstad onderneem. Die studie het die volgende getoon: • 'n Demokratiese ouerskapstyl kweek 'n gevoel van waardigheid by die adolessent. In hierdie omgewing voel die tiener geborge en gerespekteer en as gevolg daarvan ontwikkel hy tot 'n goedgebalanseerde jong volwassene. • Ouers moet kennis neem van hul adolessente se emosionele belewenisse en hul dissiplineringstyle aanpas om hul tieners vrywilliglik tot volwassenheid te lei. • Meeste tieners waardeer en respekteer hulouers.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Adolessente word dikwels beskou as buierig, rebels, ongeïnteresseerd in skool en geneig tot riskante gedrag soos voortydige seks, dwelmgebruik en alkoholmisbruik. As gevolg van die 'storm-en-drang' - periode waarmee hulle geassosieerword, verloor ouers dikwels voeling met hul adolessente, en faal hulle daarin om die noue bande wat hulle as vanselfsprekend met hul jonger kinders aanvaar het, met hul tieners te behou. Die slotsom word bereik dat adolessente ouerlike dissipline ervaar op 'n manier wat óf gehegtheid met die gesinseenheid skep, óf verwydering en opstandigheid teenoor ouerlike gesag in die hand werk. 'n Kwalitatiewe benadering is gebruik om vas te stel wat die adolessent as positief en as negatief ervaar ten opsigte van ouers se dissiplineringstyle. Die studie is in 'n privaatskool in 'n voorstad van Kaapstad onderneem. Die studie het die volgende getoon: • 'n Demokratiese ouerskapstyl kweek 'n gevoel van waardigheid by die adolessent. In hierdie omgewing voel die tiener geborge en gerespekteer en as gevolg daarvan ontwikkel hy tot 'n goedgebalanseerde jong volwassene. • Ouers moet kennis neem van hul adolessente se emosionele belewenisse en hul dissiplineringstyle aanpas om hul tieners vrywilliglik tot volwassenheid te lei. • Meeste tieners waardeer en respekteer hulouers.
Description
Theses (MEd)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
Pages 71-74 are missing.
Pages 71-74 are missing.
Keywords
Parent and teenager -- Relations -- South Africa -- Cape Town, Discipline of children, Behavior disorders in adolescence -- Prevention, Dissertations -- Education, Theses -- Education