Show Me an Ounce of Respect Respect and Authority in Adult-Youth Relationships in After-School Programs

Authority is an important component of adult-youth relations. Little work has been done exploring authority outside of families and classrooms. This article consolidates findings from two studies of urban after-school programs. The article examines youths' experiences of authority in after-school programs, compares those with their reports of authority relations at school and explores how adult-youth relationships in these settings influence those experiences. A relational climate exists in the after-school programs which informs youths' experiences of authority. Respect emerged as an important construct which influences youths' perceptions of and relations to adult authority. This may be particularly salient for racial minority youth. Youth differentiate respecting rules from respecting people and highlight the importance of bidirectional respect. Findings suggest that as educators and youth practitioners attempt to balance adolescents' needs for autonomy with adults' needs for authority, they should be cognizant of how respect can work to enhance authority.