PhD defence S. (Savannah) Boele

Brief summary on the aim of the doctoral thesis:

Between the ages of 10 and 25, many young people experience emotional problems such as depressive and anxious feelings. Parents can support their adolescent child in overcoming these challenges. However, the question of how parents can best support their own specific child remains complex. Scientific research on parenting often examines group averages, providing little insight into the unique dynamics of each family.

To go beyond the 'average family,' this doctoral research zoomed into individual families. In each family, it was examined how parenting behaviors and the well-being of the adolescent influenced each other, both in daily life and over a more extended period. The results provide evidence that families vary considerably. How and which parenting behaviors influenced the well-being of the adolescent varied from family to family. For instance, some adolescent benefited more from support than others. Additionally, parents' responses to their own children differed; for example, some parents were more supportive after their child felt worse than other parents.

These findings indicate that parents contribute uniquely to the well-being of their adolescent child. These insights may also have implications for practice. It could be that parenting advice and interventions that work well for one family may be less effective or counterproductive for another family. Therefore, a more personalized approach to parenting is desirable in the future, considering the specific dynamics and needs of each family.