Differential trajectories of parent-child relationships and psychosocial adjustment in adolescents

In this 2-year longitudinal study, trajectories of family development during the second half of adolescence were examined. Cluster analyses of 208 adolescentsʹ reports of family connectedness and individuality yielded three groups: families who were constantly high on connectedness and individuality, families who were high on connectedness and showed an increase in individuality over time and families who were higher on individuality than connectedness at every point in time. Adolescents in the latter group had higher levels of aggressiveness and depressive mood than those in the other two types of families. Findings are discussed with reference to theories of family individuation in adolescence.