The present study examined the relationship between dysfunctional parenting and pro-social behaviour in children and analysed the role of parent and child gender in this. A total of 238 children...Show moreThe present study examined the relationship between dysfunctional parenting and pro-social behaviour in children and analysed the role of parent and child gender in this. A total of 238 children participated in the Pro-social Cyberball Game, which is an experimental task to measure pro-social behaviour. Their primary parents completed the Parenting Scale, a questionnaire to assess use of dysfunctional parenting practices. A general linear model was performed. Differences in pro-social behaviour between boys and girls were examined and no significant difference was found. Contrary to our hypothesis which stated that more dysfunctional parenting would be related to less pro-social children, results were not significant. We examined this effect in several groups: comparing primary parents who are male to those who are female, and comparing families where primary parent and child belong to the same gender (same-gender dyads) to families where primary parent and child were of opposite gender (mixed-gender dyads). In our sample there was no difference in the way a parent influences his/her child’s pro-social behaviour, between mothers and fathers. Also, there was no difference in the effect of dysfunctional parenting on child’s pro-social behaviour, between same-gender and mixed-gender dyads. The present study contributes to clarifying alleged boy-girl and father-mother differences in pro-social behaviour and the effect of dysfunctional parenting on pro-sociality. The discussion reviewed the influence of gender norms in parenting and child behaviour and implications of these results.Show less
