Parental practices and the development of moral judgment and self-image disparity during adolescence.

Abstract

The development of adolescent self-concept and moral judgment was related to parents' child-rearing practices. Higher self-image disparity, more positive ideal self-image, and less positive real self-image were related to a higher level of moral judgment. Parental practices that emphasized unilateral respect or that were nonnurturant were related to a lower level of moral judgment and to less emphasis on postconventional judgments. Among boys, higher self-image disparity was related to authoritarian child-rearing practices. Among girls, a more positive ideal self-image was related to the father's emphasis on control and supervision and the mother's emphasis on control of sex and aggression. The findings were discussed in terms of cognitive-developmental factors in the development of the self-image and the importance of opportunities for autonomous functioning in the elaboration of moral judgment and aspects of the self-image. Furthermore, the different effects of parental practices for boys and girls were interpreted as reflecting the importance of sex-role stereotyping in the socialization of adolescent moral judgment and self-image.