Cognitive beliefs about, affective reactions to, and behavioral preferences for parent-adolescent conflict

ABSTRACT The proliferation of communication technologies provides channel choices to supplement or substitute face-to-face parent-adolescent conflict. Using social information-processing models as a foundation, this study examined the frequency of text-based and voice-based mediated channels to navigate conflict between parents and adolescents as a function of cognitive beliefs about, affective reactions to, and behavioral preferences for conflict. One hundred and seventy-six parents and paired adolescents completed measures assessing the variables of interest. The results and discussion illuminate how individuals’ schemata for conflict influence preferences for conflict style and the frequency of text-based and voice-based mediated conflict communication.