Parentsoftenassumethattimespentwiththeirkidswillgraduallydecreaseinadolescence．Butanewstudysuggeststhatwhileteenstrytoavoidspendingalotoftimetogetherwiththeirparents，privateparent-childmeetingsmayactuallyincreaseintheirearlyadolescentyears．Andthatmayraiseateenager'sself-esteem（自尊）ansocialconfidence，especiallyifitistimespentwithDad，theresearchersadded．

Theresearcherscreatedalong-termstudyinwhichtheyinvitedfamiliesin16schooldistrictsincentralPennsylvaniatoparticipate．Ineachfamily，ateenager，ayoungersibling，theirmotherandtheirfatherwereinterviewedathomeandthenaskedabouttheiractivitiesandself-worthfivetimesoveraperiodofsevenyears．

Thestudyauthorsweresurprisedtodiscoverthatwhenfathersspentmoretimealonewiththeirteenagers，thekidsreportedtheyfeltbetteraboutthemselves．Somethingaboutthefather'sroleinthefamilyseemedtoimproveself-esteemamongtheteenagersinthestudy，saidstudyauthorSusanMcHale，aprofessorofhumandevelopmentatPennsylvaniaStateUniversity．

"TimespentwithDadofteninvolvesjoking，teasingandotherplayfulinteractions．Fathers，ascomparedtomothers，weremoreinvolvedinleisureactivitiesandhadmorefriend-likeinteractionswiththeirchildren，whichiscrucialforyouthsocialdevelopment，"thestudyshowed．

ButMartaFlaum，apsychologistinChappaqua，NewYork，said，"Howthesefindingsreflecttherealworldisarealquestion．ThesampleinthestudyissosmallandsounrepresentativeofmorefamiliesinthecountrytodaythatI'mnotsurehowmuchwecangeneralizingfromit．Inmycommunity，inWestchesterCounty，Idon'tseeparentsandteenagersspendingmuchtimetogetheratall．Parentsareoftenworkingsohardandhavelesstimetobetogetherwiththeirkids．"

However，Flaumencouragesparentstommaketimefortheirkidsnomatterhowmuchworktheyhavetodo．"Researchlikethisremindsusofhowimportantitis．Thetimewehavewiththemissoshort，"shesaid．

12．Accordingtothestudy，whenteenagersspendmoretimealonewiththeirfathers，___．

A．theirsocialskillswillbeimproved

B．theirfatherswillbetterunde