A Comparison of Role Strain and Coping Strategies by Gender and Family Structure among Early Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined differences in peer and family role strain and use of coping strategies by gender and family structure using data from a sample of 203 eighth-grade early adolescents. Post hoc ANOVA results indicated significant differences among early adolescent males and females on level of role strain experienced as family members and in use of Social Support and Ventilation factors as coping strategies. Female adolescents experienced significantly greater family role strain than did males. Female early adolescents reported using Social Support significantly more often and Ventilation significantly less often than did their male counterparts. Data analysis also revealed that adolescents in single-parent families used Family Support to cope with stress significantly less often than did adolescents in two-parent families. The implications of these findings are identified and discussed and directions for future research are suggested.

Developmental and gender influences on coping: Implications for skills training

“…The literature on stress suggests that from a young age, gender affects the amount of stress, perception of stress, and the subsequent coping resources used to deal with stress (Bird & Harris, 1990;Copeland & Hess, 1995;Patterson & McCubbin, 1987;Ryan, 1989). In younger children, boys appear to be more vulnerable to stress, but after puberty this trend seems to reverse itself and girls appear to become more susceptible to the effects of stress (Brooks-Gunn, 1991;Rutter, 1983).…”

A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

“…Feldman, 1987, 7-8 year old sample). However, for older children and adolescents, the vast majority of studies indicate that girls are more likely than boys to talk about problems and to enlist emotional and instrumental support in response to stress in general (Bird & Harris, 1990;Brodzinsky et al, 1992; Chapman & Mullis, 1999;Ebata & Moos, 1994;Gomez, Holmberg, Bounds, Fullarton, & Gomez, 1999;Halstead, Johnson, & Cunningham, 1993;Hastings, Anderson, & Kelley, 1996;Hunter & Boyle, 2004;Kliewer, Fearnow, & Miller, 1996;Kurdek, 1987;Patterson & McCubbin, 1987;Phelps & Jarvis, 1994;Plancherel & Bolognini, 1995;Wertlieb et al, 1987) and in response to peer stress in particular (Bowker, Bukowski, Hymel, & Sippola, 2000; Casey & Dubow, 1992;Hunter & Boyle, 2004;Phelps, 2001;Rose & Asher, 2004). The effects for these studies generally range from small-tomedium to large.…”

Peer victimisation and conflict resolution among adolescent girls in a single-sex South Australian school

“…Conflict is generally conceptualised as at least one incident of mutual opposition and so its resolution requires actions that terminate the oppositional exchange (Collins and Laursen, 1992;Jensen-Campbell, Graziano, and Hair, 1996). The strategies employed to overcome conflict commonly encompass the categories of overt anger, compromise, avoidance, social support, obliging and distraction (Bird and Harris, 1990;Feldman and Gowen, 1998;Gross and Guerrero, 2000;Maccoby, 1988Maccoby, , 1990. The current study aimed to investigate the links between victimisation and conflict resolution strategies.…”

“…Adolescent girls are also likely to use avoidance strategies (Feldman, Fisher, Ransom, and Dimiceli, 1995) as well as seek social support (Bird and Harris, 1990;Feldman et al, 1995) when involved in family problems. Obliging behaviours, like putting others' needs ahead of their own (Alson and Romer, 1996;Laursen et al, 2001), and seeking the support of friends (i.e., social support) (Österman et al, 1997;Stark, Spirito, Williams, and Guevremont, 1989) are also considered typical conflict resolution strategies for females.…”