Parenting Style¶

Summary

The questions on the parenting style were taken from the Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics (pairfam) project’s parenting questionnaire (Wendt et. al., 2011). The 18 items can be combined into six scales: “emotional warmth,” “inconsistent parenting,” “monitoring,” “negative communication,” “psychological control,” and “strict control.” The questions on parenting style have been asked in the SOEP since 2010 in the questionnaire for parents of children aged 7-8 years.

Theoretical Background

The scale “emotional warmth” comprises three items indicating the degree of affirmative attention and care in parenting. The items are based on mothers’ and fathers’ actual parenting behavior (see the corresponding scale of Jaursch, 2003, based on Perris et al., 1980, and Schuhmacher, Eisemann, & Brähler, 1999). The scale “inconsistent parenting” comprises three items indicating the degree of inconsistent behavior in parenting. The items are based on a questionnaire on parenting from Reichle and Franiek (2005). The scale “monitoring” comprises three items indicating the degree to which parents are informed about their child’s activities and social contacts. The items are based on a questionnaire on parenting from Reichle and Franiek (2005). The scale “negative communication” comprises three items indicating the degree to which parents behave negatively toward their child. The items are based on the instrument developed by Schwarz, Walper, Gödde, and Jurasic (1997). The scale “psychological control” consists of three items. The items assess negative intrusive thoughts, feelings, and behavior of parents toward their child and are a shortened and adapted version of the scale “psychological pressure” from the “Zurich Brief Questionnaire for the Assessment of Parental Behaviors” (Reitzle et al. 2001). The scale “strict control” comprises three items indicating harsh control and authoritarian behavior of parents. The items are based on the instrument of Schwarz et al. (1997).

Scale Development

Information on the scale development can be found in the documentation of pairfam (Wendt et. al., 2011).

References

Perris, C., Jacobsson, L., Lindström, H., von Knorring, L., & Perris, H. (1980). Development of a new inventory for assessing memories of parental rearing behaviour. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 61, 265-274.

Jaursch, Stefanie, 2003. Erinnertes und aktuelles Erziehungsverhalten von Müttern und Vätern: Intergenerationale Zusammenhänge und kontextuelle Faktoren. Dissertation. Friedrich- Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg.

Reichle, B., & Franiek, S. (2005). Erziehungsstil aus Elternsicht - Erweiterte deutsche Version des Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (EDAPQ) (Expanded GermanVersion of the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire). Hochschule Ludwigsburg: Institut für Pädagogische Psychologie und Soziologie.

Reitzle, M., Winkler Metzke, C., & Steinhausen, H.-C. (2001). Eltern und Kinder: Der Zürcher Kurzfragebogen zum Erziehungsverhalten (Zurich Brief Questionnaire for the Assessment of Parental Behaviors). Diagnostica, 47, 196-207.

Schumacher, J., Eisemann, M., & Brähler, E. (1999). Rückblick auf die Eltern: Der Fragebogen zum erinnerten elterlichen Erziehungsverhalten (FEE). Diagnostika, 45, 194-204.

Schwarz, B., Walper, S., Gödde, M., & Jurasic, S. (1997). Dokumentation der Erhebungsinstrumente der 1. Haupterhebung (überarb. Version). Berichte aus der Arbeitsgruppe “Familienentwicklung nach der Trennung,” 14.

Wendt, E.-V., Schmahl, F., Thönnissen, C., Schaer, M., & Walper, S.). Scales Manual of the German Family Panel. pairfam (Panel Analysis of Intimate Relationships and Family Dynamics). Bremen, Chemnitz, Munich.

Items

Emotional Warmth

I show my child with words and gestures that I care about him/her (Ich zeige meinem Kind mit Worten und Gesten, dass ich es gerne habe).

I console child up when he/she is sad (Ich tröste mein Kind, wenn es traurig ist).

I praise my child (Ich lobe mein Kind).