Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of childhood experience on adolescent emotional expression conflict and psychological adjustment. In order to examine this, t test, correlation analysis, regression was administered. The Results of this study were as follows. First, there was a meaningful difference in the response of the primary caregiver on the supportive emotional expression of the childhood, in accord with the sex of the youth. Second, minimization responses (for the male high school student) and punitive responses (for the female high school student) had a significant effect upon the ambivalence of the emotional expression of the childhood. Third, both the male and female high school student was influenced by the non-supportive response of the primary caregiver, in terms of their negative emotional expression of the childhood, and especially by distress reactions of the primary caregiver. Fourth, the non-supportive response of the primary caregiver had effect on the internalization problem and externalization of the male high school students, and in particular, distress reactions of the primary caregiver had a significant effect on their adaptation; on the other hand, punitive response had an impact on the female students. But, unlike the male students, in the case of the female students, the response of primary caregiver who encouraged them to express and recognized their negative emotion played a part as a protective factor in their internalization problem. In addition, the emotionally oriented response of the primary caregiver had an effect on lessening the stress of adolescents. The implications and limitation of this study were discussed for future research were suggested. (Korean J Str Res 2009;17:425∼434)

• Keywords: Primary caregiver's emotional responsiveness, Emotional expression conflict, Stress, Psychological adjustment;