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Abstract
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One of the significant characteristics of adolescence is a stronger emotional reactivity to social events, both positive and negative. Most of it will happen in two main domains - among friends and family. Therefore, we might ask, who is more influential - parents or friends? The study used a diary methodology to understand the contribution of positive and negative interactions with family and friends to teenagers' emotions, on the same day and the day after the interaction. The study sample included 90 triads of parents and their adolescent children (aged 13-18) from communities in central and northern Israel. Participants used daily diaries for a week to record their daily emotions and daily interactions. They were asked to complete a positive and negative emotions questionnaire and a positive and negative interactions questionnaire. Results indicated that on days with more positive events, teenagers' mood was more positive, and on days when they experienced more negative events, their mood was more negative, for both friends and parents. However, only positive (and not negative) events were associated with an increase in positive emotions the next day. Turning to the comparative effects of friends and parents, the findings showed both friends and parents had a significant and direct impact on teenagers' mood. However, while positive events with both parents and friends increased positive mood, only positive events with friends decreased negative mood. The research makes a contribution to understanding teenagers' emotional fluctuations and thus will be helpful for educators and therapists working with teenagers.
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