Parenting style as a moderator of effects of political violence

Abstract

This study examined cross-cultural differences in the moderating function of authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles for Jewish and Arab Israeli children exposed to political violence. Respondents were parents and children aged 10–11 from 94 families (42 Arab, 52 Jewish). Parents completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire, and children completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, Political Life Events Scale, and Negative Life Events Scale. Political violence exposure and parenting style influenced children’s psychological distress. Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting style moderated effects of political-violence exposure differently for Jewish and Arab children. These findings highlight the need to examine both mothers’ and fathers’ parenting style and ways in which parenting style effects are culturally dependent.