Parenting styles and social behavior of children and adolescents

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and social behavior of children and adolescents. In particular, the relationship between parenting styles and the negative social behavior of children and adolescents, namely externalized and internalized problems, as well as their prosocial behavior, was studied. Furthermore, parenting styles and children’s gender were examined as predictors of their social behavior. Participants were 1,205 parents of children and adolescents aged 6-18 from all over Greece. They completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; they also provided sociodemographic information. The results showed a positive correlation between authoritative parenting style and prosocial behavior, and a negative correlation between authoritarian, permissive and strict parenting style and prosocial behavior. In addition, there was a negative correlation between authoritative parenting style and externalized/internalized problems and a positive correlation between authoritarian, permissive and strict parenting style and externalized/internalized problems among children and adolescents. Significant gender differences were also found in prosocial behavior and externalized/internalized problems. Finally, parenting styles and children’s gender emerged as predictors of children’s social behavior. In general, the results supported the beneficial effects of authoritative parenting style while emphasizing the negative effects of adopting an authoritarian, permissive and strict parenting style.