One criticism of previous work in the field of adolescent development has been the paucity of research examining the unique and combined contributions of different developmental contexts on adolescents' functioning. In an attempt to address this issue, the current study examined adolescents' perceptions of autonomy and relatedness within parent, peer, and school contexts in relation to school functioning and psychological adjustment. Adolescents (N = 478) in Grades 8, 9, and 11 completed self-report questionnaires assessing feelings about their relationships with parents and peers, and perceptions of school. Teachers completed ratings of adolescents' strengths and competencies. Academic achievement was assessed using end of year school grades. Results revealed several significant gender and grade differences. Whereas girls reported greater deidealization of their parents and peers, and higher quality of attachment to peers than did boys, boys- reported being less dependent on their peers than did girls. Overall, adolescents in grade nine were more dependent on their peers and reported more trust and communication in their peer relationships than did adolescents in grade eight. Correlational results indicated that school functioning was positively associated with school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment and school belonging, and that problems in psychological adjustment were negatively associated with peer autonomy, school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment, school belonging, and positively associated with parental autonomy. Results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that autonomy and relatedness variables accounted for significant amounts of variance in GPA, teacher-rated school competencies, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Analyses also revealed variables which uniquely predicted areas of functioning across contexts and gender. This cross-sectional study provides new theoretical insights regarding relations of autonomy and relatedness to school functioning and psychological adjustment during adolescence across multiple contexts. The findings contribute to a more thorough understanding of the dimensions of autonomy and relatedness that may have important implications for educators and parents of adolescents for improving educational practice and for promoting school success and positive adjustment.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 133-135).

One criticism of previous work in the field of adolescent development has been the paucity of research examining the unique and combined contributions of different developmental contexts on adolescents' functioning. In an attempt to address this issue, the current study examined adolescents' perceptions of autonomy and relatedness within parent, peer, and school contexts in relation to school functioning and psychological adjustment. Adolescents (N = 478) in Grades 8, 9, and 11 completed self-report questionnaires assessing feelings about their relationships with parents and peers, and perceptions of school. Teachers completed ratings of adolescents' strengths and competencies. Academic achievement was assessed using end of year school grades. Results revealed several significant gender and grade differences. Whereas girls reported greater deidealization of their parents and peers, and higher quality of attachment to peers than did boys, boys- reported being less dependent on their peers than did girls. Overall, adolescents in grade nine were more dependent on their peers and reported more trust and communication in their peer relationships than did adolescents in grade eight. Correlational results indicated that school functioning was positively associated with school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment and school belonging, and that problems in psychological adjustment were negatively associated with peer autonomy, school autonomy, parental attachment, peer attachment, school belonging, and positively associated with parental autonomy. Results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that autonomy and relatedness variables accounted for significant amounts of variance in GPA, teacher-rated school competencies, internalizing problems, and externalizing problems. Analyses also revealed variables which uniquely predicted areas of functioning across contexts and gender. This cross-sectional study provides new theoretical insights regarding relations of autonomy and relatedness to school functioning and psychological adjustment during adolescence across multiple contexts. The findings contribute to a more thorough understanding of the dimensions of autonomy and relatedness that may have important implications for educators and parents of adolescents for improving educational practice and for promoting school success and positive adjustment. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-94).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1978.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1978.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1978.

According to previous studies, schoolwork is the major source of adolescent-parent conflicts in Mainland China. Adolescents' personal reasoning over schoolwork conflicts reveals their desire for achieving autonomy in schoolwork. Meanwhile, their avoiding and obeying conflict resolution strategies co-exist with self-assertion. Parental psychological control is found among Mainland Chinese parents in the situations about offspring's schoolwork, which has detrimental effects on children's autonomy development. With the theoretical underpinnings of social domain theory, ecological systems theory, self-determination theory and family systems theory, the present study aims to examine the patterns of adolescent-parent conflicts over schoolwork in Ningxia of Mainland China, and explore the role of parental psychological control and the development of teenagers' autonomy in schoolwork conflicts. This study adopted grounded theory approach. Convenience and snowball sampling were conducted at the initial stage of sampling while purposeful and conceptual sampling were adopted to develop the grounded theory. There were 63 parents and teenagers participating in the present research. Specifically, 28 parents and 35 adolescents joined in this research. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interview and joint interview. Coping coding, axial coding and selective coding were used to analyze data. A grounded theory on patterns of conflicts over schoolwork, as well as parental psychological control and teenagers' autonomy revealed in schoolwork conflicts is developed in this study. Adolescents' reasoning about adolescent-parent conflicts over schoolwork is reactive to parental expectation and investment. Their resolution strategies in schoolwork conflicts also respond to parents' strategies in the process of conflict resolution. Psychological control is revealed in parents' conflict resolution strategies, which brings controlled motivation revealed in children's reasoning about schoolwork conflicts. Controlled motivation discourages the development of adolescents' autonomy over schoolwork. Contributions are made to fill up the gaps of adolescent-parent conflicts over schoolwork in Chinese families, as well as the advancement of adolescents' autonomy development in the context of adolescent-parent conflicts over schoolwork in Chinese families