Family functioning and its relationship to emotional regulation in adolescence

Abstract

The way a family works can influence how teenagers regulate their own emotions. Thus, this study aims to analyze the relationship between family functioning and adolescent emotional regulation. The sample consisted of 625 adolescents of both genders (between 15 and 20 years of age). The results revealed that professional and male adolescents perceive worse communication in the family and more significant family difficulties. In general, male adolescents perceive greater difficulties in emotional regulation than female adolescents. The results also suggest a predictive effect between family functioning and emotional regulation in adolescence. Therefore, it seems necessary to work with families and adolescents to increase skills, thus improving their emotional regulation. This study assumes relevance due to the potential implications for the intervention with adolescents and their families.