How do adolescents manage information in the relationship with their parents? A latent class analysis of disclosure, keeping secrets, and lying

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Adolescents’ use of disclosure and concealment strategies in the relationships with their parents have important implications for their adjustment. Little research has taken a person-centered approach to identifying the different patterns of adolescent’s information management in relationships with both parents, and has examined the differences between these profiles with respect to parenting, motivation to disclose, and alcohol use. This study explored adolescents’ information management constellations with their mothers and fathers, and how these patterns differ in terms of perceived need-supportive parenting, autonomous reasons for disclosure, and problematic alcohol use. Three hundred thirty-two Swiss adolescents (45% female; Mage = 15.01 years) reported information management strategies used with each parent (disclosure, keeping secrets, lying), perceptions of maternal and paternal need-supportive parenting (involvement, autonomy support, structure), autonomous reasons for disclosure, and problematic alcohol use. Latent class analyses revealed three classes: Reserved (37%), Communicators (36%), and Deceptive (27%). Comparisons across classes showed that adolescents in the Communicators class reported the highest levels of parental involvement and autonomy support, as well as autonomous reasons for disclosure. Adolescents in the Deceptive class reported the lowest levels of parental involvement and autonomy support, as well as autonomous reasons for disclosure. Associations between classes and problematic alcohol use were also found, such that the likelihood of problem drinking was greater for adolescents in the Deceptive class. These findings underscore the importance of continued communication of information with both parents and a parenting context that encourages adolescents to talk voluntarily.