The Importance of Parenting in the Development of Self-Control in Boys and Girls: Results from a Multinational Study of Youth. Issue 2 (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Botchkovar, Ekaterina; Marshall, Ineke Haen; Rocque, Michael; Posick, Chad
• Is Part Of: Journal of criminal justice. Volume 43:Issue 2(2015:Mar./Apr.)
• Page Start: 133
• Page End: 141
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Criminal justice, Administration of -- Periodicals; Justice pénale -- Administration -- Périodiques; 364.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2015.02.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2352

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="author" id="ab0005"> <title id="st0005">Abstract</title> <sec> <title id="st0010">Purpose</title> <p id="sp0005">Using self-report data from a cross-national study of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders (N = 67, 883) in 30 countries, this study assesses the cultural generality of self-control theory and its predictions linking parenting to self-control. We focus on the relationship between gender and self-control, assess the contribution of various parenting strategies to the development of self-control in males and females, and gauge the importance of parenting as an explanation for the established gender gap in self-control.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0015">Methods</title> <p id="sp0010">OLS regression is used to evaluate these causal links.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0050">Findings</title> <p id="sp0015">Supporting self-control theory, across all country clusters, males demonstrate lower levels of self-control than females. Furthermore, parenting strategies have a modest effect on self-control in both male and female groups in all cultural contexts. However, finding of the statistically significant differences in the parenting of sons and daughters is limited to post-Socialist, Mediterranean, and Western countries, and, in these regions, the contribution of gendered parenting to the gender gap in self-control is minimal.</p> </sec> <sec> <title id="st0020">Conclusions</title> <p id="sp0020">These results suggest that the development of self-control is a complex process likely affected by multiple factors, some of which may be culture-specific.</p> </sec> </abstract>