Self-Disclosure Patterns among Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to investigate self-disclosure behavior in the late childhood and adolescent years. 149 Ss in Grades 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 were administered a modified form of Jourard's self-disclosure questionnaire. It was observed, as hypothesized, that girls disclose more than boys, disclosure to peer targets increases with age, mothers are favored over fathers as disclosure targets, and same-sex peers are disclosed to more than those of the opposite sex. Disclosure difference between boys and girls increased with age only for disclosure to parents. No difference in over-all disclosure to male and female peer targets was observed.