Perceived Childrearing Practices and the Development of Locus of Control in Early Adolescence

Abstract

The development of three dimensions of locus of control orientation, namely, perceived internal, powerful others, and chance control, was analysed in a sample of 127 adolescents (11-13 years) as well as the relation between such orientations and childrearing practices of their mothers (practices of reinforcement and punishment). At two times (10 months apart) questionnaire data were obtained about (1) locus of control for problem-solving of the child, (2) childrearing practices of the mother, and (3) childrearing practices of the mother as perceived by the child. The cross-sequential results showed that perceived internality increases and chance control (fatalistic externality) decreases in early adolescence, whereas powerful others control orientations show no age-related change. Results of cross-lagged regression and correlation analyses point toward differential relations between childrearing practices and the three aspects of locus of control: (1) parental approval and attention to positive behaviour of the child predicts internality; (2) parental reinforcement which is based on social comparisons of the child's behaviour and achievements predicts powerful others control; (3) disparagement of the child-without attention to the specific behaviour of the child-predicts chance control orientations. The longitudinal results show that findings of cross-sectional and retrospective studies tend to overestimate the developmental significance of parental childrearing practices for locus of control in early adolescence.