The Relationship Between Parent-Adolescent Communication and Adolescent''s Emotional Intelligence


Lee Eun Kyong

Major in School Counseling
Graduate School of Education
Pusan National University


Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to find out the difference in parent-adolescent communication on the distinction of gender and to examine the relationship between parent-adolescent communication and adolescent''s emotional intelligence.
The research questions were set up as follows:
First, what is the difference in parent-adolescent communication on the distinction of gender?
Second, what is the relationship between parent-adolescent communication and adolescent''s emotional intelligence?
For this study, 416 self-reports data from 8th graders of middle school students, consisting of 193 males and 223 females in Busan were collected.
The survey instruments used for this study were Korean version of PACI(Parent-Adolescent Communication Inventory) initially developed by Barnes & Olson(1982) and Emotional Intelligence Inventory developed by Young Lin Moon(1999).
The results in this study were as follows:
First, there was no significant difference in father-adolescent communication on the distinction of gender. However, in mother-adolescent communication, girls tend to have open communication with mothers and boys tend to have problematic communication with mothers.
Second, there was no statistically significant relationship between father-adolescent communication and adolescent''s emotional intelligence. But the mother-adolescent communication and the sub-variables of emotional intelligence has statistically significant relationship. According to the results of this study, the positive and open communication of mother has positive effect on adolescent''s emotional intelligence. On the other hand, the negative and problematic communication of mother has negative effect on adolescent''s emotional intelligence.
The conclusion of this study is that the communication between mother and children has significant impact on emotional intelligence. More positive communication mother has, higher emotional intelligence their children have. Therefore, mothers should try to enhance their positive and open communication to develop emotional intelligence of their children.