THE IMPACT OF PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS ON ADOLESCENTS’ MORAL SELF-CONCEPT
Keywords:
Keywords: adolescence, moral self-concept, moral self-awareness, parental relationships, moral identity, parenting, moral development.Abstract
Abstract: Adolescence is a period in which young people begin to think more seriously not only about what is right or wrong, but also about what kind of person they themselves are becoming. During these years, honesty, fairness, responsibility, empathy, and respect for others may gradually become part of a young person’s self-concept rather than remaining only external expectations imposed by adults. The present article examines how parental relationships may contribute to the development of adolescents’ moral self-concept. The study was conducted as a narrative review of literature on adolescent moral development, moral identity, moral self-awareness, parenting, and parent–adolescent relationships. Particular attention was given to parental warmth, autonomy support, inductive discipline, psychological control, moral modelling, and family conflict. The reviewed literature suggests that emotionally supportive and autonomy-promoting relationships create more favorable conditions for moral internalization, while humiliation, psychological control, and conditional acceptance may interfere with the development of an independent moral self. Parental example also appears to be important, as adolescents observe whether the moral principles expressed by parents are reflected in their everyday behavior.
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