Examining the Association of Domestic Power Relationships and Aggression toward Parents in Adolescence

Abstract

　　The purpose of this study was to examine the association between two types of domestic power (referent-expert power, reward-coercive power) relationships (marital, father-child, motherchild) and adolescent aggression toward parents. The research participants were 247 undergraduate and graduate students (125 men; 122 women). Results showed that reward-coercive power was positively correlated, and referent-expert power was negatively correlated with aggression toward parents in adolescence. Moreover, adolescent aggression toward the father was mainly associated with adolescent evaluation of the father’s reward-coercive power over the mother. In contrast, adolescent aggression toward the mother was related to adolescent evaluation of the mother's reward-coercive power. Furthermore, one parent's evaluation of their partner's rewardcoercive power was associated with adolescent aggression toward the other parent. However, physical aggression toward the mother was associated with the mother's evaluation of the father's reward-coercive power. The result of this study implies that the influence of power relationships on aggression toward a parent differs by parental role.