ADOLESCENT GIRLS MORE HELPFUL AND AFFECTIONATE.

• Position: Brief Article

Adolescent girls are more helpful and affectionate toward their parents than adolescent boys, research suggests. In addition, mothers receive more help and affection from their children than do fathers.

The study involved questioning 129 children in the sixth, eighth, and tenth grades to see how often they helped their parents--running an errand, for instance--and how often they showed affection, such as by giving hugs. "We found important gender differences in who gets and receives help and affection in families with adolescents," notes Mary Eberly, who co-authored the study as a doctoral student at Ohio State University, Columbus.

The adolescents generally demonstrated less affection as they got older. However, regardless of age, they showed more affection and consideration to parents when they viewed their mothers and fathers as warm and supportive.

The results suggest that families may be teaching their children that there are male and female roles in affection and helpfulness, suggests Raymond Montemayor, professor of...