Adolescents' perceptions of parenting styles in social context among low-income African Americans

Includes bibliographical references (pages [66]-75).The goal of this research was to determine whether adolescent’s perceptions of parenting varied according to the setting of parent-child socialization interactions. Specifically, how would students interpret questions designed to be reflective of Baumrind’s parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive, situated in Bronfenbrenner’s Microsystems? A survey was developed for 75 low-income African American high school students to measure parenting styles in the various microsystems. Three new factors were identified which blended the characteristics of Baumrind’s three parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive). These factors were named, high, moderate, and low restrictive parenting styles. The factors specific to the microsystems were not evenly distributed in these categories. Scores on moderate restrictive items were the best predictors of grades in English, science, and social studies. High restrictive items had no statistically significant correlation, but moderate restriction church items were strongly correlated with overall grades as well as grades in English, science, and social studies. Also, scores on the moderate restriction school scale were positively correlated with overall grades and science. Scores of the low restrictive items were negatively correlated with social studies. Moderate restrictive items were the best predictor of grades.Ed.D. (Doctor of Education