A Comparative Analysis of the Relationship between Parenting Styles and Self-Concepts of Black and White High School Students

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the relationships between parenting styles and self-concepts of Black and White high school students. Data on these variables were collected from 2014 adolescents from five urban high schools around the metropolitan area of Cape Town, South Africa. Parenting styles were measured by the Perceived Parental Behavior Inventory (PPBI) and self-concept by the SelfDescription Inventory (SDI). For Black students all the self-concept facets measured were positively related to their perceptions of parental behaviors, although the relationship reached significance only for the relations with family, general school and physical appearance selfconcepts for White students. Growing up in a socioeconomically segregated society is considered in the light of parent-adolescent relations and self-concept.

The Impact of Parental Support, Behavioral Control, and Psychological Control on the Academic Achievement and Self-Esteem of African American and European American Adolescents

“…In support of these findings, other studies have also noted a significant positive relationship between African American mothers' support/acceptance and adolescent self-esteem (e.g., Mboya, 1995;Taylor, 2000). Mothers occupy a central position in many African American families including more responsibility for childrearing (Collins, 1994).…”

“…Similarly, very little research has examined the impact of parenting on the development of self-esteem among African American adolescents (McLoyd et al, 2000). The few existing studies of African American and African adolescents suggest that parental support serves as a positive predictor of adolescent self-esteem whereas behavioral control is generally unrelated (e.g., Carlson, Uppal, & Prosser, 2000;Mboya, 1995). In addition, Taylor (2000) found that mothers' acceptance (i.e., support) was positively related to self-esteem, whereas firm control (i.e., behavioral control) was not significantly related to self-esteem among African American adolescents.…”

The Effects of Parenting Styles on Behavioral Problems in Primary School Children: A Cross-Cultural Review

“…Moreover, it is important to note that much of the research of the parents' role on children's behavioural outcomes has been conducted among American families (Deater-Deckard et al, 1996;Kaufmann et al, 2000;Lau et al, 2006;Mboya, 1995; also see a systematic review by Waller et al 2013 in which 19 out of 30 included studies were conducted in the USA). Therefore, studies that evaluate the importance of parenting styles on children's behaviour in eastern cultures are lacking.…”

Parenting Styles and Adolescents' Learning Strategies in the Urban Community

“…Some studies have identified child-rearing behaviors as variables that contribute to self-concept development in children and adolescents (Mboya, 1995 Other research has shown that one of the key issues of school drop-out rates has to do with parents not expressing love (Reich. 1991).…”