Parents’ family harmony values and parent-adolescent relationship quality: the roles of marital satisfaction and value similarity

Abstract

This study of 318 families examined how family harmony values relate to marital satisfaction and parent–adolescent relationship quality. Overall, harmony values undergo intergenerational transmission and influence parent–child bonds through the mediating role of marital satisfaction. Specifically: (1) both parents’ values positively predict those of adolescents, with parental similarity moderating the mother–adolescent link; (2) mothers’ values predict their own marital satisfaction, while fathers’ values predict both parents’ satisfaction, which mediates the link to relationship quality; and (3) parental similarity influences relationship quality through fathers’ marital satisfaction, while parent–adolescent similarity directly predicts higher relationship quality. These findings clarify the mechanisms through which family harmony values foster healthy marital and parent–adolescent dynamics.