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influence of parenting practices on ethnic identity and social and academic outcomes

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Date Issued:
1999
Summary:
The present study examined the relation between parenting practices and adolescent ethnic identity, behavior problems, and academic achievement. Four hundred and sixty-nine adolescents completed questionnaires assessing perceptions of parenting, ethnic identity, and social adjustment. Grades and achievement scores were obtained from participating schools. The study addressed four aims: (1) Examine the relation between parenting practices and adolescent outcomes; (2) Examine the relation between parenting practices and ethnic identity; (3) Examine the relation between ethnic identity and adolescent outcomes; and (4) Explore whether these associations vary across ethnic groups. It was hypothesized that parenting practices would influence adolescent outcomes similarly regardless of ethnicity. Specifically, it was hypothesized that parental involvement, autonomy granting, and strictness/supervision would be associated with fewer behavior problems and higher school grades for African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Cuban Americans. Additionally, it was expected that parental strictness/supervision, autonomy granting, and involvement would predict ethnic identity for African Americans and Cuban Americans, but not Anglo Americans. Finally, it was expected that ethnic identity would be associated with outcomes for African Americans and Cuban Americans, but not Anglo Americans. The findings revealed that parenting practices were associated with adolescent outcomes for African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Cuban Americans. For African Americans, strict parenting was negatively related to behavior problems, but unrelated to academic achievement. Parental autonomy granting was negatively related to behavior problems. For Anglo Americans and Cuban Americans, parental strictness/supervision, autonomy granting, and involvement were negatively related to behavior problems. Parental autonomy granting and strictness/supervision were positively related to academic achievement for Anglo Americans, but unrelated to academic achievement among Cuban Americans. Parenting practices predicted ethnic identity for Cuban Americans, but not African Americans or Anglo Americans. Ethnic identity was related to behavior problems for African Americans, but it was unrelated to Cuban American and Anglo American adolescent outcomes. The findings from this study provide insight into the unique contribution of parenting practices and ethnic identity to adolescent behavior problems and academic achievement. As expected, parenting practices were associated with adolescent outcomes, and similarities rather than differences characterized these associations in the three ethnic groups. Ethnic identity was related to adolescent outcomes with variations as a function of ethnicity. A central focus of this study was to distinguish parenting practices from parenting styles. This distinction is key when attempting to identify specific parental behaviors that contribute to adolescent adaptation. Changing demographics underscore the need for continued study of how parenting practices and ethnic identity influence adaptation among adolescents from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Title: The influence of parenting practices on ethnic identity and social and academic outcomes.
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Name(s): Williams, Vickie Annette
Florida Atlantic University, Degree Grantor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Psychology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1999
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 139 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The present study examined the relation between parenting practices and adolescent ethnic identity, behavior problems, and academic achievement. Four hundred and sixty-nine adolescents completed questionnaires assessing perceptions of parenting, ethnic identity, and social adjustment. Grades and achievement scores were obtained from participating schools. The study addressed four aims: (1) Examine the relation between parenting practices and adolescent outcomes; (2) Examine the relation between parenting practices and ethnic identity; (3) Examine the relation between ethnic identity and adolescent outcomes; and (4) Explore whether these associations vary across ethnic groups. It was hypothesized that parenting practices would influence adolescent outcomes similarly regardless of ethnicity. Specifically, it was hypothesized that parental involvement, autonomy granting, and strictness/supervision would be associated with fewer behavior problems and higher school grades for African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Cuban Americans. Additionally, it was expected that parental strictness/supervision, autonomy granting, and involvement would predict ethnic identity for African Americans and Cuban Americans, but not Anglo Americans. Finally, it was expected that ethnic identity would be associated with outcomes for African Americans and Cuban Americans, but not Anglo Americans. The findings revealed that parenting practices were associated with adolescent outcomes for African Americans, Anglo Americans, and Cuban Americans. For African Americans, strict parenting was negatively related to behavior problems, but unrelated to academic achievement. Parental autonomy granting was negatively related to behavior problems. For Anglo Americans and Cuban Americans, parental strictness/supervision, autonomy granting, and involvement were negatively related to behavior problems. Parental autonomy granting and strictness/supervision were positively related to academic achievement for Anglo Americans, but unrelated to academic achievement among Cuban Americans. Parenting practices predicted ethnic identity for Cuban Americans, but not African Americans or Anglo Americans. Ethnic identity was related to behavior problems for African Americans, but it was unrelated to Cuban American and Anglo American adolescent outcomes. The findings from this study provide insight into the unique contribution of parenting practices and ethnic identity to adolescent behavior problems and academic achievement. As expected, parenting practices were associated with adolescent outcomes, and similarities rather than differences characterized these associations in the three ethnic groups. Ethnic identity was related to adolescent outcomes with variations as a function of ethnicity. A central focus of this study was to distinguish parenting practices from parenting styles. This distinction is key when attempting to identify specific parental behaviors that contribute to adolescent adaptation. Changing demographics underscore the need for continued study of how parenting practices and ethnic identity influence adaptation among adolescents from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Identifier: 9780599419261 (isbn), 12605 (digitool), FADT12605 (IID), fau:9489 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Adviser: Brett Laursen.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1999.
Subject(s): Psychology, Social
Psychology, Developmental
Sociology, Individual and Family Studies
Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12605
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.