Relationship between Parent-Adolescent Interaction and the likelihood of Internalizing and Externalizing Problems Among Adolescents

Adolescence is a transition phase from childhood to adulthood, and it is characterized by several drastic changes, which increase vulnerability to internalizing and externalizing problems. Previous studies revealed that parents can guide adolescents in managing these crises by establishing warm, meaningful, and open interactions. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between parent-adolescent interactions and the likelihood of experiencing internalizing and externalizing problems. This is a quantitative correlational study, which was carried out using 180 participants from six Junior High Schools in East Java, who were selected through simple random sampling. The two instruments used were the Parent-Child Interaction Questionnaire-Revised Child Version (PACHIQ-R CH) and the Strenght and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). The simple linear regression analysis showed that parent-adolescent interaction has a significant effect on internalizing and externalizing problems. It was suggested that parent-adolescent interactions contributed to the likelihood of adolescents experiencing internalizing and externalizing problems. Building warm, meaningful, and open interactions with adolescents can assist them in understanding the adaptive way of expressing emotions and overcoming the drastic changes during the transitional period