Parenting styles and Psychological control: similarities and differences between mothers and fathers of school-age children

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6092/2612-4033/0110-2159

Abstract

Background: The first aim of the present study was to investigate differences and similarities in perceived parenting styles between fathers and mothers in the same family. Secondarily, this study wanted to verify the relation between parental anxiety and parenting dimensions, assuming differences according to the parental gender.

Methods: The 80 parents of 40 school-age children independently completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), the Parenting Instrument (PI) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results: revealed differences between fathers and mothers in almost all the variables considered, with mothers who reported the highest scores. Significant correlations between paternal and maternal perceptions were found in authoritarian style and in the practices of psychological control (disappointing and shaming). Finally, parental anxiety was associated positively with authoritarian style and inadequate parental practices, and negatively with authoritative style, expressive warmth and supportive involvement: the constructs however correlated in a different way according to parental gender. 

Conclusions: Independent assessment of both mother’s and father’s parenting styles and, especially, parental practices of psychological control seem to be necessaries both in research and practical settings.

Author Biography

  • Maria Cristina Gugliandolo, Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences, University of Cassino and South Latium

    She is a research fellow at the University of Cassino.  In 2009 she obtained a Master's Degree in Psychology at the University of Messina.  In 2011 she was given the title of expert in the field of Developmental Psychology (M-PSI/04) and in 2012 she was awarded the title of "Honorary Research Assistant" at the London Psychometric Laboratory of the University College London. In 2014 she obtained the Phd in Psychological Sciences at the University of Messina, and in 2016 a Master in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Parma.

    Research Interest: Adolescent Development, Trait Emotional Intelligence, Parenting, Disability, Pediatric Surgery

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Published

2019-07-15

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 3 (2019)

Section

Articles

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