Adolescents communication, conflict styles and conflict resolutions with parents, peers and romantic partners: similarity, differences and relations with satisfaction

Communication and conflict styles and resolutions are key issues for understanding the dynamics underlying every social relationships. However they are usually investigated separately in different social contexts. In the current study, the similarities and differences of the adolescents’ communication, conflict styles, conflict resolution and satisfaction with parents, best friends and boy/girlfriend were explored. One hundred and three Italian adolescents, aged 15 to 20years, were administered a version of the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale (PACS; Barnes, & Olson, 1985). Exploratory principal component analyses, Cronbach’s alpha, Repeated Measures ANOVAs, correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the data. The adolescents use similar levels of open and problem communication, compromise and aggression (conflict styles), intimacy and frustration (conflict resolutions) with father, mother, friends and romantic partners and they are similarly satisfied with their partners. However open communication, compromise and intimacy are more frequent with friends and romantic partners than with the parents. Besides, the strongest predictor of satisfaction is always open communication. However, with the family and the boy/girlfriend the resolution of the conflict is also important, while with the friends the way to manage the conflict is relevant too.