Trouble with Your Teen? Maybe Change Your Tone

In a study involving over 1,000 mom/teen pairs, researchers observed that children were more likely to successfully complete a task when their mothers gave instructions using a supportive tone. The authors of the study write, “If parents want conversations with their teens to have the most benefit, it’s important to remember to use supportive tones of voice. It’s easy for parents to forget, especially if they are feeling stressed, tired, or pressured themselves… These results nicely illustrate how powerful our voice is and that choosing the right tone to communicate is crucial in all of our conversations.” Developmental Psychology, September 2019