Independence – relationships between adolescents and parents in this period of growing up

Magistrsko delo obravnava obdobje odraščanja in osamosvajanja, podrobneje sem se dotaknila obdobja zgodnjega in srednjega mladostništva. Zanimalo me je, kakšne spremembe to obdobje prinaša v medosebne odnose med starši in mladostniki, kako jih doživljajo in kako se z njimi soočajo. Zanimalo me je tudi, kdo so pomembne druge osebe v življenju mladostnikov ter kakšno vlogo ima v obdobju odraščanja šolska svetovalna služba. V ta namen sem med seboj skušala primerjati izkušnje mladostnikov in njihovih staršev, izkušnje mladostnikov ženskega in moškega spola in izkušnje staršev ženskega in moškega spola. V teoretičnem delu sem najprej opredelila obdobje mladostništva in z njim povezane razvojne naloge. Predstavila sem področja odraščanja in osamosvajanja ter se dotaknila tudi varovalnih dejavnikov in dejavnikov tveganja v tem obdobju. Nato sem predstavila pomen družine v tem obdobju, spremembe, s katerimi se srečujejo starši in mladostniki, kakšen vpliv imajo te spremembe na medosebne odnose in kako se s tem soočajo tako mladostniki kot starši. Skozi različna področja osamosvajanja sem skušala opredeliti pomembne druge osebe v življenju mladostnika v času odraščanja in nazadnje opredelila še delo in namen šolske svetovalne službe, ter njeno vlogo v času odraščanja mladostnikov. Z namenom pridobivanja informacij sem opravila kvalitativno raziskavo, v kateri je sodelovalo 11 mladostnikov in 11 staršev. Podatke sem pridobivala s pomočjo intervjujev. Rezultati so pokazali, da so tako mladostniki kot starši v večini zadovoljni z medosebnimi odnosi, konflikte, s katerimi se srečujejo označujejo kot vsakdanje in nepomembne. Spremembe, ki jih prinaša to obdobje, doživljajo kot nekaj običajnega in dobrodošlega. Vedno večjo samostojnost doživljajo pozitivno in jo starši pravzaprav spodbujajo, obenem pa otrokom ostajajo pomemben vir podpore in opore. Tako otroci kot starši poročajo, da starši prepuščajo in sprejemajo otrokove odločitve na vseh področjih življenja, razen na področju upravljanja z denarjem. Poleg staršev v času odraščanja pomembno vlogo pridobijo tudi vrstniki in sorojenci. Sogovorniki so poročali, da s šolsko svetovalno službo v tem obdobju, poleg pomoči pri izbiri nadaljnjega šolanja, nimajo veliko izkušenj.This thesis deals with the period of growing up and gaining independence from parents, especially in the period of early and middle adolescence. I was interested in what changes this period brings into relationships between adolescents and their parents, how they experience these changes and how they deal with them. I also researched to whom adolescents trust beside parents and examined the role of school counselling service in this period of growing up. I tried to make a comparison between the experience of adolescents and their parents, between female and male adolescents and between mothers and fathers. In the theoretical part, I initially defined periods of adolescence and its developmental tasks. I presented different areas in which growing up and independence of adolescents is shown in connection with protective and risk factors that are present in this period. Furthermore, I presented the impact of family in this period and what changes adolescents and their parents encounter, how these changes impact relationship between them and how well they are at facing them. Through various areas of growing up I tried to identify other important people in the life of an adolescent and finally defined the role of social work, especially the purpose of school counselling service during this period of growing up. In order to obtain information, I conducted qualitative research involving eleven adolescents and eleven parents. Data was obtained through interviews. The results showed that both adolescents and their parents are mostly satisfied with the relationship they have. Conflicts and changes they are facing in this period were described as something ordinary and insignificant during adolescence. The changes that this period brings are perceived as positive and are welcome. Participants feel positive about higher independence. Furthermore, parents are encouraging it and at the same time still stay an important source of support. Both parents and children report that parents allow independent decision making about everything except finances. Peer groups and sibling are the most important people beside parents in the lives of adolescents. Interlocutors reported that beside counselling about further education they do not have any contact nor experiences with school counselling service