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Individuated Marital Relationships and the Regulation of Affect in Families of Early Adolescents

Cindy Carlson

University of Texas at Austin

Catherine R. Cooper

University of California at Santa Cruz

This study examined the interdependence between the spousal relationship and the triadic parent-adolescent system. The purpose of the study was to examine the degree to which affect regulation in the family as a whole would be linked to a particular quality of the marital relationships-individuation. Affect regulation was defined as the ability to maintain constructive engagement with others in the face of negative affect, as well as the ability to express positive emotions that have the potential to enhance social interaction and social competence. Data collected for the study involved both parents and early adolescents (N = 31 intact, Caucasian families) completing afamily interaction task. The Individuation Code was used to determine individuation within the marital system and the Family Rating Scales were used to measure affect regulation within the parent-adolescent triad. Results of log linear analyses found evidence of a link between qualities of the spousal relationship and family affective process. Individuated marital systems were associated with more positive affective tone, better conflict resolution, greater optimization of individual development within family relationships, and lower hostility-cynicism. Results suggest that some organizational structures of relational styles may provide a more optimalfit for the developmental needs of early adolescents within the European-American cultural context.

Journal of Adolescent Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, 67-87 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/074355489491006


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