Journal of Counseling Research

Aim: This research aims to investigate and compare the factors affecting the successful and unsuccessful entrance the adolescent stage of family life cycle.

Method: This is a qualitative study and the data were analyzed by using grounded theory method. The population consists of all of the families with successful and unsuccessful adolescents in Tehran city and the sample consists of 10 families having successful adolescents and 12 families having unsuccessful adolescents. Data were collected by using purposeful sampling and the semi-structured interviews.

Findings: The findings showed that protective factors which lead adolescents to successful or unsuccessful transition include the following: family domain, parental domain and social domain. The protective factors in parental domain have basic differences. They were different in communication styles in family, family management styles, family structure and economic situation of the family. Findings related to the parental domain showed that parental attitudes toward education, parental attitudes toward success, parental behavior toward social success and vulnerability in parenting were different in parents with successful and unsuccessful adolescents. Also protective factors in social domain were different with each other. The results showed that successful parents were different in social relationship management and adolescent behavior toward social success with unsuccessful parents.

Conclusion: In sum, studies showed that social environment, educating parents and their adolescents and also strengthening protective resources in family are needed to have a successful transition from adolescence stage of family life cycle.