Family Organization and Adolescent Development

Understanding the development of adolescents requires an understanding of the adolescent's family relationships. These include relationships with parents, siblings, and other important family members. These relationships are shaped not only by the interactions between family members but also by the broader social context of the family. The period of adolescence is characterized by extensive change at multiple levels in the adolescent and the adolescent's environment. These changes clearly mandate transformation in the interactions between children and their family members. Despite these alterations in the child and in family relationships, research documents that parents and family relationships remain important social and emotional resources well beyond the childhood years.