Using Q Methodology to Explore American Adolescents’ Self-Images and Images of Their Parents

Abstract

We explored adolescents’ self-images and their images of their parents and how their views of the present and the future relate to their parents’ support. Forty American adolescents sorted two sets of Q statements. Types for adolescents’ self-images are optimistic go-getter in achievement, pioneer in moratorium, hedonistic fun seeker in diffusion, apprehensive self in moratorium, and other conscious self in foreclosure versus self-confident skeptic in moratorium. Types for adolescents’ images of their parents are parents as a role model for life, old-fashioned authoritarian versus poor emotional supporter, and domesticated parents with unhealthy attachment to children versus all-in to the children’s education. Adolescents’ self-images are related to consciousness of their economic situation and their parents’ support of their autonomy.