Emotional separation, autonomy in decision-making, and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence: a proposed typology
Author
Alonso Stuyck, Paloma
Zacarés, Juan José
Ferreres, Adoración
Publication date
2017-12-12ISSN
1062-1024
Abstract
Adolescence is critical for learning autonomous behavior; however, little research is available on the most appropriate balance of the emotional and behavioral dimensions of autonomy for psychosocial adjustment during this period. In this study we present a novel autonomy typology that combines both these aspects, which can be implemented as autonomy in decision-making and emotional separation. Specifically, examined age differences in emotional separation and autonomy in decision-making during adolescence. We also assessed differences in psychosocial adjustment associated with profiles of autonomy typology, sex, and age. The participants were 567 adolescents (296 males and 271 females), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.48; SD = 1.69), recruited in Spanish high schools. Each participant filled out questionnaires on identity commitment, self-esteem, emotional separation and autonomy in decision-making. The results showed that the most advantageous autonomy profile is ‘autonomous in decisions’ (those showing low emotional separation combined with autonomous behavior in decisions) which was associated with higher levels of self-esteem and occupational and ideological identity commitment. In addition, we also concluded that the balance of autonomy effects adjustment throughout adolescence, although early adolescence may be an especially critical period.
Document Type
Article
Document version
Accepted version
Language
English
Subject (CDU)
3 - Social Sciences
36 - Safeguarding the mental and material necessities of life
Keywords
Autonomia (Psicologia)
Autonomy (Psychology)
Identitat (Concepte filosòfic)
Identity (Philosophical concept)
Família
Families
Familias
Autonomía
Identidad
Adolescència
Adolescence
Pages
26
Publisher
Springer US
Collection
27; 5
Is part of
Journal of Child and Family Studies
Citation
Alonso-Stuyck, Paloma; Zacarés, Juan José. «Emotional separation, autonomy in decision-making, and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence: a proposed typology». Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2017, vol. 27, núm. 5, p. 1373-1383. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-017-0980-5
Note
This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Child and Family Studies. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-017-0980-5.
This item appears in the following Collection(s)
- Ciències de la Salut [738]
Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/