Abstract
We examined the relationships between parent–adolescent discrepancies in perceived parenting characteristics (indexed by parental responsiveness, parental demandingness, and parental control) and adolescent developmental outcomes (indexed by achievement motivation and psychological competence) in poor families in Hong Kong. A sample of 275 intact families having at least one child aged 11–16 experiencing economic disadvantage were invited to participate in the study. Fathers and mothers completed the Parenting Style Scale and Chinese Parental Control Scale, and adolescents completed the Social-Oriented Achievement Motivation Scale and Chinese Positive Youth Development Scale in addition to paternal and maternal Parenting Style Scale and Chinese Parental Control Scale. Results indicated that parents and adolescents had different perceptions of parental responsiveness, parental demandingness, and paternal control, with adolescents generally perceived lower levels of parenting behaviors than did their parents. While father–adolescent discrepancy in perceived paternal responsiveness and mother–adolescent discrepancy in perceived maternal control negatively predicted adolescent achievement motivation, mother–adolescent discrepancy in perceptions of maternal responsiveness negatively predicted psychological competence in adolescents experiencing economic disadvantage. The present findings provided support that parent–child discrepancies in perceived parenting characteristics have negative impacts on the developmental outcomes of adolescents experiencing economic disadvantage. The present study addresses parent–child discrepancies in perceived parental behaviors as “legitimate” constructs, and explores their links with adolescent psychosocial development, which sheds light for researchers and clinical practitioners in helping the Chinese families experiencing economic disadvantage.
Highlights
Parent–child discrepancies, like other informant discrepancies, have long been regarded as ‘‘‘methodological nuisances’ that needed to be ‘rectified’ in some way’’ (De Los Reyes 2011, p. 2)
We examined the relationships between parent–adolescent discrepancies in perceived parenting characteristics and adolescent developmental outcomes in poor families in Hong Kong
We examined three research questions in this study: 1. Are there any differences in the perceptions of parenting characteristics among fathers, mothers, and adolescents experiencing economic disadvantage? Based on the existing literature (Guion et al 2009; Reynolds et al 2011) and theoretical accounts of adolescent individuation process (Grotevant and Cooper 1986), and the ‘‘generational stake’’ thesis (Bengtson and Kuypers 1971), it was hypothesized that adolescents would have less positive perceptions of parenting than did their parents (Hypothesis 1)
Summary
Parent–child discrepancies, like other informant discrepancies, have long been regarded as ‘‘‘methodological nuisances’ that needed to be ‘rectified’ in some way’’ (De Los Reyes 2011, p. 2). Parents have a stake in maximizing the similarities between themselves and their adolescent children, whereas adolescents have a stake in minimizing the similarities so as to display autonomy and independence (Bengtson and Kuypers 1971) Parents nurture their children, enhance family cohesion, and provide a healthy environment for the children. Some family theorists suggest that parent–child discrepancies are the results of conflict between parents and adolescents. Minuchin (1985) suggested that parent– child discrepancies reflect family disorganization, maladaptive family interaction patterns, and a lack of cohesion Under this perspective, different perceptions of family processes are associated with maladjustment of families, which in turn results in poor adjustment and negative psychological outcomes of adolescents (Guion et al 2009; Welsh et al 1998). The third perspective suggests that parent–child discrepancies in perceived parenting would be negatively related to child developmental outcomes
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