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Parent-adolescent conflict and adolescent injuries.
P E Bijur1, M Kurzon, V Hamelsky
1Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York 10461.
Summary
Parent-adolescent conflict is linked to higher injury rates in teenagers. High conflict families showed significantly increased hospitalizations and outpatient injuries for both boys and girls.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Injury Prevention
- Family Psychology
Background:
- Previous research indicates cumulative stress correlates with injuries.
- The specific impact of parent-adolescent conflict on adolescent injuries remains under-examined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parent-adolescent conflict and injury incidence in British adolescents.
- To determine if parent-adolescent conflict acts as a predictor for adolescent injuries.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 8231 British adolescents (born 1958) with injury information from ages 15-17.
- Developed a parent-adolescent conflict scale based on mothers' reports of arguments with 16-year-old offspring.
- Analyzed the relationship between conflict scale scores and injury rates (hospitalized and outpatient).
Main Results:
- A linear association was found between parent-adolescent conflict and injury rates for both genders.
- Adolescent boys in high-conflict families had 2.9x higher hospitalization rates and 1.6x more outpatient injuries.
- Girls in high-conflict families experienced 2.9x more hospitalized injuries and 1.8x more less severe injuries.
Conclusions:
- Conflictual parent-adolescent relationships are associated with an increased risk of injuries in adolescents.
- Parent-adolescent conflict may serve as a significant indicator for heightened injury risk during adolescence.