Parental pressure, self-esteem and adolescent reported deviance: bending the twig too far.

Questionnaire responses from upper-status junior and senior high school students show the importance of perceived parental pressure in understanding adolescent self-esteem and deviant behavior. Adolescents who feel unduly pressured to achieve and succeed in school also are likely to have low self-esteem, to report deviant activity, and to feel they are incapable of reaching the goals set for them by their families.