Psychodynamic Conflicts in the Intergenerational Context: A Pilot Study on Adolescents with Mental Health Problems and Their Parents Objectives: Psychodynamic conflicts are intrapsychic phenomena shaped by familial relationship experiences, playing a key role in mental disorders. Studies on intergenerational associations of these conflicts are scarce. This study explores the extent and intergenerational links of psychodynamic conflicts in adolescents with mental health problems and their parents.

290 adolescents (Mage = 18.0 ± 1.9), 95 mothers (Mage = 49.7 ± 5.3), and 52 fathers (Mage = 52.4 ± 4.2) completed the Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnostics Conflict Questionnaires. After examining the extent of conflicts, intergenerational associations were analyzed using regression models.

Adolescents experienced self-worth and identity conflicts, whereas parents struggled with the need for care versus self-sufficiency conflict. Parental and adolescent conflicts were significantly associated. Gender-specific analyses revealed that paternal conflicts particularly explained the passive identity conflict in female adolescents, whereas the maternal active oedipal conflict was linked to the corresponding conflict in male adolescents.

Findings underscore intergenerational and gender-specific conflict dynamics. Longitudinal studies should clarify underlying mechanisms.