Parental Strictness Research Articles

The Intersection Between Deep Moral Frames and Rhetorical Style in the Struggle over U.S. Immigration Reform

This essay highlights and explores a point of tension between theoretical writings on style and moral frames. Past political communication scholarship points to the importance of the feminine style in today's televisual era of politics. In this same political era, the conservative strict parent moral frame has dominated most policy debates. Surprisingly, this highly successful moral frame appears squarely at odds with the feminine style so closely connected with political success. This essay attempts to unravel this tension between styles and frames by examining discourse drawn from the 2007 debate over comprehensive immigration reform. To account for the success of conservative messages within this debate, this essay both (a) calls into question the nature of the relationship between the television medium and the feminine style and (b) expands our understanding of the discursive operation of deep moral frames by drawing a distinction between intra-familial and extra-familial policy discourse.

Advice on How Not to Misread the Tiger Mother

On the book tour circuit, Amy Chua's strategy has been to disavow just about everything her infamous Wall Street Journal article seemed to say. “I do not believe that Chinese mothers are superior,” she declared to Stephen Colbert. To PBS's Need to Know, she described the book's arc as revealing her “eventual transformation as a mother,” while, to Good Morning America, she insisted that she believes “people get to great places so many different ways: lenient parents, strict parents. . .”

Interpersonal Violence: Secondary Analysis of the Keep Your Children/Yourself Safe and Secure (KySS) Data

IntroductionThe purpose of the secondary analysis was to determine agreement of parents and children to the interpersonal violence (IPV) items on the Keep Your Children/Yourself Safe and Secure (KySS) survey to assess mental health concerns. MethodsA comparative, descriptive design was used to determine the level of agreement between parent/child dyads on the 15 attitude/knowledge and worry items related to IPV (n = 563 dyads). ResultsSingle mother/son and 10- to 12-year-olds had less agreement than other dyad combinations and child age groups. Six of the 10 knowledge/attitude items had significant differences, including multigenerational occurrence of sexual abuse, the effect of harsh parenting, witnessing domestic violence, and incidence of physical abuse. The least agreement was on sexual abuse, incidence of physical abuse, and outcome of strict parenting (p < .001). Parents had greater worry about the parent-child relationship than did the children (p < .001). DiscussionParents and clinicians may not realize how different their understanding of IPV is from that of children. Identifying items of least agreement can inform parents and clinicians in targeting violence education and prevention.

Childhood risk factors for alcohol abuse and psychological distress among adult lesbians

Objective This study examined the relationships between childhood and family background variables, including sexual and physical abuse, and subsequent alcohol abuse and psychological distress in adult lesbians. Methodology Structural equation modeling was used to evaluate relationships between childhood sexual and physical abuse and parenting variables and latent measures of lifetime alcohol abuse and psychological distress in a large community-based sample of lesbians. Results Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) directly predicted lifetime alcohol abuse, and childhood physical abuse (CPA) directly predicted lifetime psychological distress. In addition, CSA indirectly increased the risk of lifetime alcohol abuse through its negative effect on age at first heterosexual intercourse. Childhood physical abuse had only indirect effects on lifetime alcohol abuse through its strong relationship to lifetime psychological distress. Parental drinking problems and parental strictness directly predicted lifetime psychological distress; parental drinking problems indirectly predicted lifetime alcohol abuse through the mediators of age of drinking onset and lifetime psychological distress. White lesbians, younger lesbians, and those with lower levels of education were at greatest risk of psychological distress. Conclusion While the cross-sectional design precludes causal conclusions, study findings—especially those related to CSA—are consistent with previous research on predominantly heterosexual women in the general population. Lesbians who experienced CSA were at heightened risk of lifetime alcohol abuse and those who experienced CPA were at heightened risk of lifetime psychological distress relative to lesbians without abuse histories. Given the dearth of research on childhood abuse and sexual orientation, studies are needed that examine the similarities and differences between lesbians’ and heterosexual women's experiences of, and responses to, childhood abuse.

Mother puts organelles in their place

Like a strict parent, the mother centriole keeps order in the cell by telling other organelles where to sit, according to new work by Jessica Feldman, Wallace Marshall (University of California, San Francisco, CA), and Stefan Geimer (Universitat Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany). Figure 1 Centrioles correctly position cilia (green), and also intracellular organelles. Marshall's team is interested in what controls the intracellular geometry of organelle positioning. To address this topic, they focus on one organelle that is well-known for its specific positioning: the centriole. The tethered pair of mother and daughter centrioles is the major component of the centrosome complex and also promotes the assembly of cilia. Thus cilia can act as a cell surface indicator of centriole positioning. The team used the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which normally has two cilia at its apex, to scan for mutants in which cilia were misplaced. In certain misplaced cilia mutants, the fibers that normally tether mother and daughter centrioles were absent. The team found that whereas the mother centriole in these mutants continued to locate at the cell's apex, the daughter's position was random. Thus it seems that the mother's tight rein on the daughter is what keeps the young one in position. Centrioles are normally closely linked to the nucleus, but in mutants that lacked the fibers connecting these two, it was again the nucleus that displayed a randomized positioning, not the centriole. The authors found evidence that the centrioles position two other organelles—the contractile vacuole and microtubule rootlets. From these combined data, they suggest that the mother centriole might in fact coordinate the positions of a whole subset of organelles. The nucleus in mammalian cells is also found associated with centrosomes, indicating that the guiding influence of mother might well be conserved. Reference: Feldman, J.L., et al. 2007. PLoS Biol. 5:e149. [PubMed]

Restrictive Parenting Buffers Head Start Students From Stress

Prior research suggests that relatively strict parenting is associated with positive outcomes for African American but not European American children. This study examined whether the parenting correlates for children from these two ethnic backgrounds are different, or whether other factors confounded with ethnic background such as stressful life events better account for these apparent differences. Thirty-one African American and 22 European American children were assessed longitudinally at ages 4 and 8 years. Both groups of children were from comparably economically impoverished backgrounds. Restrictive parenting was assessed through observation and caregivers' self-report. Parents completed ratings of child emotional and behavioral problems. Parental restrictiveness partially shielded both African American and European American children from the negative effects of stress. Findings suggest that stress rather than ethnic group per se may be key to understanding the differential effects of parental restrictiveness. Implications for practitioners concerning the distinction between strict parenting and abusive parenting are discussed.

Do Recommended Driving Limits Affect Teen-Reported Traffic Violations and Crashes During the First 12 Months of Independent Driving?

Objectives. Motor vehicle crashes are highly elevated among newly licensed teenage drivers. Limits on high-risk driving conditions by driver licensing policies and parents can protect novice teens from negative driving outcomes, while they experience and driving proficiency. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of strict parent-imposed driving limits on driving outcomes during the first year of licensure. Methods. A sample of 3,743 Connecticut teens was recruited and randomized to the Checkpoints Program or comparison condition. Assessments conducted at baseline, licensure, 3-, 6-, and 12-months postlicensure included parent-imposed driving limits, traffic violations, and crashes. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the effects of strict parent limits on traffic violations and crashes during the first year of licensure. Results. Thirty percent of teens reported at least one traffic violation and 40% reported at least one crash. More strict parent-imposed limits at licensure, 3-, 6-, and 12-months postlicensure, were associated with fewer violations and crashes in multivariate analyses. Notably, adherence to recommended night curfew was consistently associated with fewer violations and crashes. Conclusions. The findings indicate that strict parent-imposed limits may protect novice teen drivers from negative driving outcomes.

Risk and Protective Factors Predictive of Adolescent Pregnancy: A Longitudinal, Prospective Study

One hundred twenty-eight Latina and African American girls from high-risk environments (e.g., poverty, family history of teen parenting, etc.) were studied from age 13 through age 19 to prospectively identify the protective factors that might guard against teenage pregnancy. Results indicated that involved and strict parenting during early adolescence buffered against pregnancy under conditions of multiple family risks and peer risks. Low childbearing intentions and desires during early adolescence also forecasted a reduced likelihood of pregnancy. Findings suggest the risk and protective factors evident during early adolescence that contribute to and potentially guard against subsequently experiencing an adolescent pregnancy.

Parenting and adolescent self-regulation

This study examined the relationship between adolescents’ academic and non-academic self-regulation (SR), authoritative parenting (as demonstrated by high levels of Involvement, Strictness, and Autonomy Granting), and parent self-efficacy in four areas. Participants were 214 Australian high school students and their parents. There was a moderate correlation ( r=0.63) between academic and non-academic SR. Adolescents and their parents differed significantly in their perceptions of parenting behaviours, with parents rating themselves higher than their children on Involvement, Autonomy Granting, and Strictness behaviours. A model of the relationships between the constructs was developed showing a strong path from parent self-efficacy to both academic and non-academic SR via high parental Involvement (as perceived by adolescents). Strict parenting and the granting by parents of psychological autonomy to their adolescent children did not appear to be important in the development of young people's self-regulatory behaviours.

Boundaries in Family—Professional Relationships

The issue of boundaries between professionals and individuals/families is well documented within the clinical fields of counseling and social work but not thoroughly investigated in special education. Because maintaining quality relationships between families and educators is important, the development of appropriate guidelines requires a thorough understanding of the preferences of families and educators about the boundaries of their relationships. The authors investigated those preferences through a secondary analysis of a qualitative data set focusing on preferences for partnerships between families of children with disabilities and professionals. They analyzed transcripts from 34 focus groups and 32 individual interviews, identifying three themes related to boundary issues: (a) accessibility/availability (being reliably and flexibly available to families), (b) breadth of responsibility (going beyond strict interpretation of one's job description in working with families), and (c) dual relationships (fostering friendships, mutual support, or other roles in addition to a strict parent—professional relationship). Implications for parent—professional relationships and suggestions for conversations between professionals and families on preferences for boundaries are discussed.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Personal Values Socialization: Correlates of a Moral Self‐ Ideal in Late Adolescence

AbstractThere has been considerable study of the development of moral reasoning in adolescence within the cognitive–developmental paradigm, but less empirical attention to the development of moral valuing and motivation. In a two‐year longitudinal study, we examined the correlates of high‐school students’ endorsement of explicitly moral values as ideals for the self. Those who reported being involved in community helping activities at age 17 were subsequently more likely to increase their relative emphasis on the importance of prosocial moral values for themselves. As predicted, an authoritative family parenting style was associated with more parent–adolescent value agreement in general (regarding both moral and non‐moral values). Particularly for males, reports of greater parent monitoring and strictness were associated with more emphasis on moral values for the self. This relation between parental strictness and males’ self‐ideals was mediated over time by perceived stronger emphases on moral values by both parents and friends. These findings suggest the potential utility of studying moral motivation to help understand prosocial development in adolescence.

Parent, child, and contextual predictors of childhood physical punishment

AbstractData gathered over the course of an 18‐year longitudinal study of 1025 New Zealand children were used to: (a) develop a profile of the maternal, child, and contextual factors associated with differing levels of exposure to maternal physical punishment, and (b) identify the key predictors of maternal physical punishment as reported by young people at age 18. Results revealed the presence of clear linear associations between the extent of young people's reported exposure to physical punishment and a wide range of maternal, child, and contextual factors. The key predictors of physical punishment suggested that the psychosocial profile of those mothers at greatest risk of physically punishing or mistreating their child was that of a young woman with a personal history of strict parenting who entered motherhood at an early age, and who was attempting to parent a behaviourally difficult child within a dysfunctional family environment characterized by elevated rates of inter‐parental violence and childhood sexual abuse. These findings were consistent with a cumulative risk factor model in which increasing risk factor exposure is associated with increasing levels of child physical punishment/maltreatment. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Relationship of perceived parenting practices to anger regulation and coping strategies in African-American adolescents

This study examined the relationship of perceived parenting practices to anger and coping in a sample of 70 African-American adolescents. Regression analyses reveled that perceptions of parental strictness were negatively related to anger temperament, anger-out, and avoidance (all p<0·05), and was positively associated with engaging in demanding activities ( p<0·02). Additionally, perceptions of parental involvement were positively related to seeking diversions ( p<0·04), and perceptions of parental autonomy granting were negatively related to anger-out ( p<0·02). These findings highlight the potential importance of the perceived parent–adolescent relationship for African-American adolescents. Copyright 2002 The Association for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Transition of Adolescent Males to First Sexual Intercourse: Anticipated or Delayed?

Recognition of the different social, psychological and behavioral contexts within which adolescents initiate sexual activity broadens the understanding of teenage sexual behavior beyond the typical dichotomy of sexual experience vs. inexperience. Data from the National Survey of Adolescent Males (1988 and 1990-1991) were used in logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of background factors on the transition to first intercourse among 265 teenagers who were not expecting to initiate sex in the next year (delayers) and 187 teenagers expecting to do so (anticipators). The most common reason for sexual inexperience among delayers was a desire to wait until marriage (32%); among anticipators, it was a lack of opportunity to initiate intercourse (35%). Anticipators were significantly more likely than delayers to have first intercourse within one year of the survey (53% vs. 13%). They also were more likely to report risky behaviors, precoital activities and approval of premarital sex; risky behavior predicted their onset of first sex (odds ratio, 1.5). Delayers were more likely to attend, church and have strict parents and a college-educated mother. Having a mother with at least some college education increased the odds of transition to first intercourse for anticipators (5.2) but decreased the odds for delayers (0.2). Having a mother who gave birth as a teenager significantly increased the odds for anticipators (14.5). Anticipators' sexual behavior occurs in a high-risk context, whereas delayers may have internalized the decision to delay first intercourse and have background factors that encourage the delay.

Justice Beliefs in School: Distinguishing Ultimate and Immanent Justice

This paper combines two recent developments in just world research: the conception of belief in a just world (BJW) as a resource for coping and well-being in everyday life, and the distinction between two different facets of BJW, namely belief in immanent justice (BIJ) and belief in ultimate justice (BUJ). Moreover, these two aspects are adapted to the school context and educational psychology. Scales for measuring ultimate and immanent justice in schools were developed within a German pilot reform project with a sample of 1274 pupils. The two facets could be distinguished by means of factor analysis. The reliability of the two scales is satisfactory, and their validity is confirmed by their differential correlational patterns. Results show that not every form of BJW automatically functions as a coping resource. In fact, only BUJ is able to protect pupils' mental well-being, whereas immanent justice can actually jeopardize well-being. Similarly, BUJ is associated with the perception of solidarity and learning enjoyment in class, whereas BIJ is more closely associated with the experience of rivalry and competition in class. Finally, the socialization of the two justice beliefs is considered. The cross-sectional data provide some evidence to suggest that friendly and supportive parenting styles can promote BUJ, whereas strict parenting styles may further BIJ. More longitudinal research is needed to obtain further insights into these phenomena.

Religiousness as a Predictor of Academic Performance among High-school Students

Although efforts to improve academic performance previously have focused on school reform, conditions outside school hold the key to increasing our children's academic achievement. The purposes of this study were (1) to determine the relationship between religiousness and academic achievement and (2) to develop a general model that can be generalizable across various ethnic groups. The data from the first follow-up (1990) and second follow-up (1992) of the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) were utilized in this study. Hierarchical regression and path analysis were employed. The result of the analysis shows that religiousness has a significant impact on academic achievement even though socioeconomic status is accounted for in advance in the analysis model. In the general model for various ethnic groups, student academic performance is determined by religiousness, socioeconomic status, locus of control, and strict parenting. Suggestions for future research are offered.

Voices of Hope

Although much research has been conducted on the effects of migration on the psychosocial evolution of various ethnic groups, only limited information exists about the meaning of migration for Haitian adolescents. Haitian adolescents, in addition to experiencing the trials of adolescence, often feel a sense of loss and confusion when they are forced to leave their homeland. This phenomenological study focuses on the experience of being a Haitian adolescent living in South Florida. Six Haitian adolescents were both interviewed and asked to produce writing about their experiences and perception of self-identity. Their responses evaluated in light of Piaget, Erickson, and Sullivan illustrated eight themes defining the adolescents' senses of identity: pride, isolation, prejudice, parental strictness, nostalgia, belonging, familism, and career vision. The insights acquired through this study have practical applications in designing more effective caring strategies, in advocating for clients, and in delivering culturally competent holistic nursing care.

Parenting stress in mothers of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and full-term infants: a function of infant behavioral characteristics and child-rearing attitudes.

To examine the moderating effects of child-rearing attitudes on the relation between parenting stress and infant behavioral characteristics for mothers of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) and full-term infants. Fifty-six 9-month-old infants (23 VLBW and 33 full-term) and their mothers were the participants. Mothers completed measures of parenting stress, child-rearing attitudes, infant temperament, and infant behavioral problems. The VLBW infants had a higher frequency of behavioral problems, and their mothers reported more child health concerns than the mothers of the full-term infants. Regression analyses showed that the relation between parenting stress and infant distress was moderated at medium and high levels of parental strictness for only the VLBW infants. The amount of stress the mothers of the VLBW infants experienced was a result of the congruence between their infant's behavioral characteristics and their own child-rearing attitudes.

Developmental Maturity Expectations of Israeli Fathers and Mothers: Effects of Education, Ethnic Origin, and Religiosity

This study investigated expectations of maturity in children among 380 Israeli Jewish fathers and mothers of 6-month-old infants. Subjects were administered a questionnaire which included items reflecting three developmental domains: Cognitive Maturity, Biosocial Maturity, and Social Autonomy. Regarding Cognitive Maturity mothers had earlier expectations than fathers, intermediate and higher educated parents had earlier expectations than lower educated and nonreligious (Secular) parents and moderately religious (Traditional) parents had earlier maturity expectations than religiously strict (Orthodox) parents. A reverse pattern could be observed for Biosocial Maturity: lower educated parents had earlier expectations than higher educated parents, Orthodox parents had earlier expectations than Traditional or Secular parents and parents of Asian or North African origin had earlier maturity expectations than parents of European or American origin. On Social Autonomy mothers had earlier maturity expectations than fathers and Secular and Orthodox parents had earlier expectations than Traditional parents. The results suggest that parental expectations of maturity form a multidimensional construct in which sex and social background of the parent are related to early expectations in some areas and late expectations in others, depending on the values of their societal subgroup.

Parental Divorce during Childhood: Age at First Intercourse, Partnership and Parenthood

It is well established that young people whose parents divorced or experienced marital breakdown during their childhood are likely to enter into first partnerships and into parenthood earlier than those whose parents remained married. In this paper using data from the British National Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles Survey we examine how far the timing of first coitus plays a role in the genesis of this demographic behaviour for children of divorced parents. Other factors including the timing of menarche attitudes to sexual activity degree of parental strictness and religiosity were also examined. In general these factors had little explanatory power. The analysis showed that earlier sexual activity for men and women from disrupted families is an important proximate determinant of their earlier entry into partnership and parenthood compared with those brought up with both natural parents. (EXCERPT)