Parents' attitudes, preferred choice of parenting style and perceived competence as predictors of their behaviour with their child
Date
1983
Authors
Waddell, Janice
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The present study was concerned with the relationship between parents' self-reports concerning three parental constructs; child-rearing attitudes, perceived personal competence, and preferred choice of parenting style; and the observed behaviour of parents with their child. A multiple regression was performed to determine which combination of the identified constructs had the greatest predictive validity in terms of parental behaviour. Finally, a t-test was utilized in order to ascertain if parents who attended a parenting course differed from parents who had never attended a parenting course.
Parents' attitudes toward child-rearing were measured by the Parent Attitude Research Instrument developed by Schaefer and Bell (1958). Tyler's (1978) Behavioural Attributes of Psychosocial Competence Scale was utilized to assess parents' perceived sense of competence. A Parenting Styles Inventory developed by the researcher in collaboration with a colleague was employed to determine the preferred choice of parenting style. Each measure categorized general responses into three parenting styles: democratic, autocratic, and permissive.
Parents' behaviour was assessed by observing parents' involvement in a play task with their child. Data relating to specific parental behaviour was collected by videotaping this interaction. Participation in the play task was videotaped in order to provide a descriptive account of the parents' particular parenting style. A Behaviour Observation Rating Scale formulated by the researcher was used in rating and categorizing parenting behaviours during the videotaped interaction. In addition, parental behaviour was rated on the Empathic Behaviour Scale developed by Stover, Guerney and O'Connell (1971). Specific behaviours were categorized into democratic, autocratic and permissive styles of parenting.
Parents of children between the ages of three and fives years volunteered to participate in this study. Data was collected from eight fathers and 22 mothers. Parents completed the written measures (Parent Attitude Research Instrument, Parenting Styles Inventory, and Behavioural Attributes of Psychosocial Competence) in two groups. One group of 16 parents completed the measures prior to engaging in the play task with their child. A second group of 14 parents filled out the measures following participation in the play task. Individual sessions were scheduled for each parent and child to participate in the play task. Videotapes of the play task were rated independently on the Behavioural Observation Rating Scale and the Empathic Behaviour Scale.
Parents' responses to the written measures were correlated with ratings on the behaviour ratings scales. The Parenting Styles Inventory yielded significant correlations for the choices of autocratic and permissive styles of parenting and related autocratic and permissive parenting behaviours as rated on the Behaviour Observation Scale. Significant negative correlations were found between the choices of democratic and permissive styles of parenting and the observation of autocratic behaviours. There were no significant correlations between the choice of a democratic style of parenting and actual parenting behaviour.
No significant correlations were found between parents' self-reported attitudes and their ratings on the Behaviour Observation Rating Scale. A significant correlation was found between one subscale of the Parent Attitude Research Instrument and the total rating from the Empathic Behaviour.
Zero-order correlations did not yield any significant correlations between parents' self-reported attitudes and their ratings on the Behaviour Observation Rating Scale. A significant correlation (p < .05) was found between one subscale of the Parent Attitude Research Instrument and the total score of the Empathic Behaviour Scale. This correlation implied that parents who report a more rejecting attitude exhibit a low level of empathy when interacting with their child.
Positive correlations (p < .05) resulted between parents' perceived sense of competence and the occurrence and frequency of democratic parenting behaviour.
Consideration of the maximum combination of measures of attitude, competence and choice of parenting style which would have the greatest predictive validity in terms of parental behaviour did not contribute any significant relationships. A t-test analysis found few differences between parents who had attended a parenting course and parents who had not taken such a course.
This study supports the conclusion that parents' self-reported attitudes toward child-rearing and perceived level of competence cannot be considered valid predictors of parenting behaviour. There is evidence that a preferred choice of parenting style is a significant single predictor of parenting behaviour specific to the styles of autocratic and permissive parenting. Democratic parenting behaviour does not appear to be related to parents' self-reports of attitude or preferred parenting style. Parents who have attended parent courses do not seem to be different from other parents in the interest of this study.