Explaining the Sense of Family Coherence among Adolescents

Abstract

The study examined the impact of two dimensions of family life on the sense of family coherence among Israeli adolescents (n = 133). The structural dimension was expressed in power relations between the adolescent’s parents (as measured in equality in division of household tasks and equality in decision making). The dimension of interpersonal relations was expressed in perceived family conflict and parental support to their offspring. Parental support contributed most significantly to explaining the adolescents’ sense of family coherence, followed by perceived family conflict. Equality in division of household tasks and in decision making were also found to correlate moderately with the adolescents’ sense of family coherence. In general, the adolescents’ sense of family coherence was high, parents were perceived as supportive, the level of perceived family conflict was low, and the division of household tasks and decision making were assessed as egalitarian.