How Parents’ Social Adequacy and Acceptance Explains Changes in Adolescent Social Maturity and Skills? A Study in Yazd, Iran

Parents greatly influence their children lives, as children imitate their parents’ behaviors and attitudes. Improving parents' interactions and behaviors can lead to positive changes in their children's social skills and maturity. This study examines the relationship between social maturity and social skills of teenagers in Yazd city and their parents' social adequacy and acceptance. 

Methods and Data: 

The method is a correlational study with a sample of 150 mothers with teenage children in Yazd. The instruments used are Matson's Social Skills Questionnaire (1983), Rao's Social Maturity Scale (1986), Fellner's Social Adequacy Scale (1990), and Marlowe and Crowne's Social Desirability Scale (1960). 

Data analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between adolescents' social maturity and social skills and their parents' social adequacy and acceptance. Adolescents who have higher levels of social maturity and skills tend to have parents who have higher levels of social adequacy and acceptance, and vice versa. This implies that mothers who have high levels of thinking, problem-solving and cognitive recognition abilities can facilitate their children's emotional and skill development. 

According to the results, increasing parents' social adequacy and acceptance can predict their adolescents' social maturity and skills. This implies that parents can enhance their children's social development by improving their own self-esteem, modeling positive social behaviors, providing constructive feedback, and support. 

Key Message: 

The coping strategies of teenagers in confronting with physical, mental, and social changes is an important social skill which can play a role in the process of their communication and adaptation. Parents, especially mothers, play a significant role in this process. The attitude of parents and especially mothers towards themselves and the realistic view of different aspects of life shapes the skills and ability of teenagers in relation to different issues.