Influence of Gender, Parents’ Level of Education and Attachment Quality on Parent-Adolescent Conflict

Abstract

The influence of gender, parents' level of education and attachment quality on parent-adolescent conflict was investigated in this study. A cross-sectional design was employed. Participants were 111 males and 128 females. Information on gender and parents’ level of education were collected from the biographical data while Parental Attachment Questionnaire was adapted to measure attachment quality. Also, the Parent- Adolescent Conflict Scale developed by the researchers was used to measure parent adolescent conflict. ANOVA results showed that parents' level of education had a significant influence on parent adolescent conflict F (2, 227) = 4.89, p< .01. The result also showed significant interaction between gender and parents ' education on parent adolescent conflict, F (2,227) = 3.58, p< .03. Both gender and attachment quality had no significant influence on parents’ adolescent conflict respectively. The result also showed that there was no significant interaction between gender and attachment quality, attachment quality and parents' education, and between gender, parents' education and attachment quality on parent adolescent conflict. Implications of the study and suggestions made for further study were stated.

Key words: Gender, level of education, attachment quality, parent-adolescent conflict.