1. Objectifs

Intentions :
The first objective of this study «was to identify and compare the links between emotion and behavior in sibling and mother-adolescent conflict. […] The second objective was to assess within-family and across-context similarities in responses to negative (i.e., angry and sad) affect, given the particular role of negative emotion regulation during conflict […].» (p. 234)

Questions/Hypothèses :
«It was expected that the associations found between individuals’ own emotions and behaviors observed during family conflict in other developmental […] would be replicated in the present study. That is, it was hypothesized that participants would use more destructive (i.e., escalating) and assertive behavior following angry affect (displayed by frowning/ upset expressions); more conciliatory and avoidant behavior following sad affect; more constructive (i.e., de-escalating) behavior following neutral affect; and more constructive and avoidant behavior following positive affect. Following their partners’ affect, it was hypothesized that mothers and adolescents would show similar, yet weaker associations between affect and behavior, as this pattern was seen in conflict discussions between mothers and preadolescents in a prior study […].» (p. 234)

2. Méthode

Échantillon/Matériau :
«The participants in the present study were a subset of the Concordia Longitudinal Research Project (Concordia Project), a prospective, longitudinal study of the intergenerational transfer of socioeconomic and psychosocial risk. The focus of the current study was a subsample of the second generation of participants [...] Thirty-two offspring of original Concordia Project participants, aged 12 to 15 years (i.e., “focal adolescents”), participated. Focal adolescents were 22 girls and 10 boys, with a mean age of 13.9 years […]. Their mothers had a mean age of 42.6 years […] and a mean level of education of 13.1 years […].» (p. 235) Participants «completed videotaped interactions with their mothers and one of their siblings in early adolescence.» (p. 235)

Instruments :
Questionnaire

Type de traitement des données :
Analyse statistique
Analyse de contenu

3. Résumé

«As hypothesized, focal adolescents’ and siblings’ behavior following their own negative affect was largely in line with goal-based theories of emotions […]. First, both focal adolescents and siblings used more escalating behavior (disagreement, confrontation) and analytic remarks following angry (frown/ upset) affect. Anger is experienced when individuals perceive that their goals are thwarted and that these goals can be reinstated. As such, it activates individuals’ sense of agency and focuses attention and behavior toward reaching their goals […]. This can be done through either attack or assertive communication, as both types of behaviors can be seen as useful in reaching one’s goals, depending on situational and personality factors […]. In either case, anger mobilizes individuals toward conflict, which explains why focal adolescents and siblings were also less likely to avoid or withdraw. […] The hypothesis that the most constructive behaviors would follow neutral affect was generally supported. Both groups used more conciliation following neutral affect, and focal adolescents also made more analytic statements and disagreed less. […] These results suggest that interventions aimed at reducing sibling conflict should promote the regulation of strong negative emotions, in order to help youth use their negative emotions to motivate resolution while preventing discussions from becoming hostile and destructive.» (p. 247-248)