Leiden University Student Repository

Zoeteman, Marleen (2014)

Het verband tussen het disciplineren door vaders en moeders en het prosociale gedrag van jongens en meisjes

Bachelor thesis | Pedagogische wetenschappen (BSc)

Introduction. Parental discipline strategies represent an important child-rearing component. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a relation between different discipline strategies of mothers and fathers and children’s prosocial behaviour, and to investigate the moderating role of child gender in this relation. Method. The research sample consisted of 100 couples (mothers and fathers) and their three-year-old child. Parents filled in a questionnaire about their child’s tendency towards empathic prosocial behaviour. Parental discipline styles (distraction and physical interference) and child prosocial behaviour were measured through home-based observations. Results. Findings revealed that maternal physical discipline negatively predicted child prosocial behaviour in the presence of the father. Children displayed less prosocial behaviour in the presence of their father when mothers showed more physical discipline. Furthermore, parental physical discipline and...Show moreIntroduction. Parental discipline strategies represent an important child-rearing component. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a relation between different discipline strategies of mothers and fathers and children’s prosocial behaviour, and to investigate the moderating role of child gender in this relation. Method. The research sample consisted of 100 couples (mothers and fathers) and their three-year-old child. Parents filled in a questionnaire about their child’s tendency towards empathic prosocial behaviour. Parental discipline styles (distraction and physical interference) and child prosocial behaviour were measured through home-based observations. Results. Findings revealed that maternal physical discipline negatively predicted child prosocial behaviour in the presence of the father. Children displayed less prosocial behaviour in the presence of their father when mothers showed more physical discipline. Furthermore, parental physical discipline and distraction were positively related to empathy and prosocial behaviour in boys. Boys were rated as more empathic when fathers showed more physical discipline, and they displayed more prosocial behaviour in the presence of their father when fathers exhibited more distraction. For girls no such relation was found. Discussion. Boys and girls appeared to be differential susceptible for parental distraction and physical discipline strategies, and mothers and fathers may affect boys’ and girls’ prosocial behaviour differently. From these findings recommendations for clinical practice can be made, such as involving both mothers and fathers in prevention and intervention programs for especially boys with early social-emotional developmental problems. Future longitudinal research is necessary to gain information about particularly distraction as a positive discipline strategy and its impact on young children’s prosocial behaviour.Show less

Prosocial behavior

Discipline

Gender

Author

Zoeteman, Marleen

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Child and Family Studies

Supervisors

Pol, Lotte van der
Groeneveld, Marleen

ECTS Credits

20

Language

nl