Differential Perception of the Parental Relationship: A Chilean Sample

Abstract

The paper reports the findings in socialization practices of deviant and “normal” samples in Santiago, Chile. Responses to the interviews with 60 schizophrenics, 52 juvenile delinquents, and 175 “normals” or “controls” revealed marked differences in their child rearing experiences Parental rejection, especially by, the father, seemed particularly critical in the schizophrenic sample, whereas the delinquent sample had experienced both rejection and ovetly harsh discipline. The mothers were often perceived as manipulative, and with a high rate of absenteeism among the fathers, the mother often had to fulfill, however inadequately, both the instrumental and expressive roles. Despite the differences in age, sex, and social class between the three samples, the study points to varying types of emotional climate within the home as significant in personal and social adjustment.