Parentsoftenassumethattimespentwiththeirkidswillgraduallydecreaseinadolescence.Butanewstudysuggeststhatwhileteenstrytoavoidspendingalotoftimetogetherwiththeirparentsprivateparent-childmeetingsmayactuallyincreaseintheirearlyadolescentyears.Andthatmayraiseateenager’sself-esteem(自尊)ansocialconfidenceespeciallyifitistimespentwithDadtheresearchersadded.

Theresearcherscreatedalong-termstudyinwhichtheyinvitedfamiliesin16schooldistrictsincentralPennsylvaniatoparticipate.Ineachfamilyateenagerayoungersiblingtheirmotherandtheirfatherwereinterviewedathomeandthenaskedabouttheiractivitiesandself-worthfivetimesoveraperiodofsevenyears.

Thestudyauthorsweresurprisedtodiscoverthatwhenfathersspentmoretimealonewiththeirteenagersthekidsreportedtheyfeltbetteraboutthemselves.Somethingaboutthefather’sroleinthefamilyseemedtoimproveself-esteemamongtheteenagersinthestudysaidstudyauthorSusanMcHaleaprofessorofhumandevelopmentatPennsylvaniaStateUniversity.

“TimespentwithDadofteninvolvesjokingteasingandotherplayfulinteractions.Fathersascomparedtomothersweremoreinvolvedinleisureactivitiesandhadmorefriend-likeinteractionswiththeirchildrenwhichiscrucialforyouthsocialdevelopment”thestudyshowed.

ButMartaFlaumapsychologistinChappaquaNewYorksaid“Howthesefindingsreflecttherealworldisarealquestion.ThesampleinthestudyissosmallandsounrepresentativeofmorefamiliesinthecountrytodaythatI’mnotsurehowmuchwecangeneralizingfromit.InmycommunityinWestchesterCountyIdon’tseeparentsandteenagersspendingmuchtimetogetheratall.Parentsareoftenworkingsohardandhavelesstimetobetogetherwiththeirkids.”

HoweverFlaumencouragesparentstommaketimefortheirkidsnomatterhowmuchworktheyhavetodo.“Researchlikethisremindsusofhowimportantitis.Thetimewehavewiththemissoshort”shesaid.

32.Accordingtothestudywhenteenagersspendmoretimealonewiththeirfathers________.

A.theirsocialskillswillbeimproved

B.theirfatherswillbetterunderstandthem

C.theywillbewillingtohelpthei