Assessing adolescent interpersonal negotiation strategies: Toward the integration of structural and functional models.

In a structured dilemma-discussion interview procedure, 45 female and 45 male middle-class adolescents (aged 11–19 yrs) were presented with 8 hypothetical dyadic interpersonal dilemmas to assess the interpersonal negotiation strategies (INS) they suggested using to resolve interpersonal problems. Each dilemma focused on the way a protagonist could deal with a significant other in a dyadic context. Responses were scored using an integrated structural developmental (4 levels) by functional (4 information processes) model of social-cognitive development. In addition, the 8-dilemmas were constructed to systematically vary with respect to 3 contextual factors. Results indicate that (1) INS showed a developmental increase over the adolescent years, (2) INS showed a moderate positive relation to IQ, (3) the INS level was higher for girls than for boys, and (4) INS level systematically varied across context. The findings provide preliminary evidence for the validity of the INS interview. The INS interview is appended. (35 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)