Global Journal of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Exploring the Experience of Parents on Peer Influence on their Adolescent Children

Miss S. Shwetha Maria and Dr. Anuradha Sathiyaseelan

The purpose of the present research was to explore the experience of parents about peer influence on their adolescent children. Adolescence is a period of development they experience various biological and psychological changes. During adolescence, individuals are influenced by various factors in life and among these peers play a vital function. Peers influence adolescents both positively and negatively. Although during adolescence parents move to the back stage, they still play a key role and influence the development of adolescents. During this period the role of parents and the parenting style changes wherein parent assumes the role of friends and develop a good relationship with their children. The study employed interpretative phenomenological approach to understand the personal experiences of parents about peer influence on their adolescent children. Purposive sampling method was used to collect the sample. The sample included 4 parents of the adolescents i.e., 4 mothers and 4 fathers of 4 adolescents. The data was collected through in-depth interview with 20 open ended questions. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results showed that parents spend time with their children, mothers are comfortable in sharing information related to bodily changes with their children and avoid the use of technological gadgets by the adolescents however the fathers are uncomfortable in sharing information related to bodily changes with their children and allow them freely to use technology and unaware of their children friends