AD ALTA
JOURNAL OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH
more career oriented than ever before, their role in childcare has
not changed much. Fathers, however, are more involved in their
children’s upbringing than they were a few decades ago. A
fathers’ role as a child’s mentor is growing, thus he contributes
significantly to a child’s psychological development (Potančok,
2010). Therefore, both parents help to develop an interactive
relationship, trust and also communication. The importance of
both parents, for example, can be found in (Novák, 2012).
Regardless of allocated custody, a positive emotional attachment
toward both parents is vitally important (Wilkinson, Walford,
2001; Walton, 2008; Vojtová, 2012). The absence of one parent
brings different routes to build trust and communication
(Špaňhelová, 2009). However, it suggests that conflicts usually
continue in many divorced families, posing an increased risk for
problems in developing interactive relationships, managing
personality problems and emotional crisis resulting in
problematic children. This is considered one of the most critical
periods is adolescence (Carr - Greg, 2010, 2012). According to
Macek (2003), this period is considered a period of
transcendence from childhood to adulthood. It is characterized
by significant changes in the biological and social spheres of
life. In particular, the timing of this period varies from one
author to another (see Langmeier, Krejčírová, 2006; Vágnerová,
2008). The study builds on the definition of adolescence by
Macek (2003), which defines early adolescence (10-13 years),
middle (14-16 years) and late adolescence (17-20 years). Early
adolescence, which this study concentrates on, is characterized
by the dominance of pubertal changes, searching for new
relationships within their environment, and the formation of their
own opinions. Significant change in social relationships is the
decline of rivalry among boys and girls and an increased interest
in the opposite sex. Behavior in early adolescence is
characterized by negativism and rebelliousness. In terms of
emotions in this perio
d, according to Mičková (2015a,b) a
typical increase in frustration is normal. Carr-Greg (2012) calls
this concept as ‘intensifying feelings’. According to Macek
(2003), it is necessary to see this new identity of the adolescent
alongside the family which he or she lives in. While the
adolescent still lives with his parents, his identity is tied with the
family and the problems often focus on direct and indirect
conflicts with parents. Emotional experiences are becoming
more intense, which is one of the determinants in forming an
adolescent’s identity. Identity searching is a dynamic process
(Mazur, 1993; Fadjukoff, et. al. (2016). Relationships with
parents can be defined as one of the most important factors in
shaping the identity of an adolescent (Selecká, Václaviková,
2017). Regular conflicts between parents can interfere with
adolescent emotions. This conflicting behavior may be one of
the reasons for losing a normal emotional spectrum toward
parents. According to Majerčik (2011), broken relationships
between parents may be involved in forming negative behavioral
patterns. This can result in the weakening
of authenticity, and
congruence in relations with parents.
The authors of many research articles agree that in order for a
person to function fully, they need to satisfy not only
materialistic, but also specific competences (Démuthová,
Balcerčíková, 2012), but also emotional needs (Prekopová,
2001; Shaw, Krause, 2004; Niedenthal, Krauth - Gruger, Ric,
2006). The authors further affirm that mutual touching, hugging,
and physical contact is a confidence-building factor.
Parental support develops trust which then enhances the
communication. The trust can be seen from several points of
view. As an attribute (Křivohlavý, 1993), personality (Ryff,
Keyes, 1995) psychic state and emotional bond (Erikson, 2002).
The study examines confidence in the context of emotional
attachment to parents. Relationship of trust and family ties can
be found on multiple levels. At the hormonal level, oxytocin is
considered to be a predictor of a secure emotional bond, has a
connection to trust, and it is considered to be a significant factor
in konfidence – building (Raby, et. al. 2013). At the emotional
level, the important factor is how adolescents perceive a
relationship between their parents, openness in communication
or space for expressing feelings and opinions, and their
acceptance of it. According to Matoušek (2003), trust is an
important factor of expressivity (feelings expression). However,
expression of feelings to parents is more complicated in post-
divorce arrangements. One of the important criteria of post-
divorce child-parent communication is an adolescent’s
perception of the relationship between parents. Imbalance and
vulnerability are typical for early adolescents and may be
reflected in open communication with parents. Parental
relationships are also affected by the effort to get a child into
childcare, and are usually reflected in damaging communication
between them. Another form of parental behavior is concealment
of emotions in front of their children (Satirová, 2006; Matějček,
Dytrych, 2002, Severson, et.al. 1993). Such behavior potentially
carries a negative change in an adolescent’s behavior toward
parents. One of the changes may be inconsistency due to
disruption of these relationships. Incongruence is considered by
Satir (2006) to be a frequent consequence of distressing
relationships in divorced families. It can be said that the image
of non-congenital behavior is an obstacle in the adolescent and
parental communication, which can result in limited
communication between adolescents and their parents, and an
unwillingness to express their emotions and feelings. According
to Hoppeau, Krabel (2001) in disturbed relationships,
the
conversation is problematic and at the same time it causes a
communicational barrier. The authors believe that the most
common barriers are the inability to concentrate, agility,
malignancy, irritability, and lack of interest.
Bakalář (2006)
states that parental conflicts and attempts to bring the child on
their side can lead to an uncompromising dismissal of the other
parent. These conflicts can contribute to a parents’ ability to
reach an agreement. Trélaün (2005) in this context, points out
the importance of the defeat situation, the essence of which is the
acceptance of the current situation. Another useful form in trying
to assert the role of a parent is the ability to form a settlement.
This way of communication helps parents to partially or fully
fulfill their own goals, but most importantly the needs of their
child. The quality of relationships with the parent who has
custody of a child is reflected in their psychological wellbeing,
or psychological discomfort. Research on post-divorce childcare
brings different findings. Uhláriková (2010) found that the
highest life satisfaction is in adolescents living only with their
mothers. Uhláriková (2010) found more dissatisfaction in
adolescents
who only live with one parent, found in his research,
that greater support from family members leads to satisfaction.
Sejčová (2008) found no difference in satisfaction among
teenagers from full and incomplete families. Another research
(King, 2002) confirms that the quality of the parent-child
relationship is reflected in trust and positively influences
interpersonal trust. Parents are often contradicting in their
speeches; the adolescent seeks to avoid suffering or guilt and by
doing so he or she usually hides their wishes and needs.
Adolescents can also perceive their parents' luck of trust between
each other, exaggerated emotional responses, and experience
anger while experiencing positive emotions with a
second
parent, and so on. For these reasons, adolescents can interpret
those parental emotional signals as problematic. Post-divorce
family arrangements and perceptions of parental relationships
can create a barrier in spontaneous expressions, expressing
feelings, and restricted communication with par
ents (Kmeťová,
2006). Finding out that parents are not
‘perfect’ can lead
adolescents to be more critical and reject and question parental
views, which may then be reflected in communication with
parents (Keating,1990; Repková, 1996).
3 Goal
The aim was to find out the relationship between the level of
trust and openness in communication between two parents
(especially the mother and father). The aim was to compare the
relationship of trust and communication in a post-divorce
environment. Another goal was to find out the link between trust
and open communication during the early adolescence period, in
relation to friends.
4 The research sample
The survey sample consisted of 76 adolescents. (Sole Care N =
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