Abstract

In the present study we explore the relations between parenting dimensions and adolescent self-disclosure, integrating in the same model information from both parents and early adolescents. Besides the dimension of control and closeness already investigated in the literature, as a predictor of adolescent self-disclosure we included the dimension of conflicts between parents and child. Structural equation modelling was applied to a dataset from a sample of 1,147 early-adolescents (49% girls) and 959 parents (77% mothers). Middle-school-aged students and their parents completed a questionnaire in which they reported parental control and parent-child attachment and conflict; only adolescents reported about self-disclosure. Using a multi-informant approach, results show that parental control and parent-child closeness was related to early adolescents' disclosure. On the other hand, conflicts was not related to adolescents' self disclosure. Implications of the results for theory, research and intervention are discussed.