Nonverbal behavior in families with adolescents

In fifty-three families, mothers, fathers and one adolescent were videotaped discussing two issues relevant to the adolescent's behavior: the aspects of their behavior they could change, and rules appropriate to life in the family. Family members later watched these videotapes and rated themselves and each other every 15 seconds on levels of perceived anxiety, involvement, strength and friend-liness. From these videotapes, each family member's behavior was also coded for the use of smiles, various face and head movements and gestures. Results revealed that adolescents looked frequently at both parents, but parents looked even more at each other and the adolescent. Adolescents smiled more than their parents, while mothers smiled and nodded their heads more than fathers. More nonverbal expresivity occurred in conversations between parents and daughters than between parents and sons, although these results were mainly due to the behavior of fathers with daughters. Ratings of involvement by parents were related to the adolescent's nonverbal behaviors, but other ratings were not. Mothers rated adolescents as more involved when they used more head up movements and nods. Fathers rated adolescents as more involved when they gazed and smiled more.