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OP-7. ROLE
OF PARENTS IN THE AGGRESSION OF THEIR CHILDREN
OP-7.1.-PARENTING PRACTICES, SELF-CONTROL AND ADOLESCENT DELINQUENCY
den Exter Blokland, E.A.W., Engels,
R.C.M.E. and Finkenauer, C.
Department of Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, The
Netherlands
Adolescence is a critical developmental
period that predestines adult well-being and functioning and that is
characterized by an upsurge in delinquent behavior. Implicitly blaming the
parents, this increase in delinquency has been attributed to parenting practices
characterized by low levels of support and control. The question arises,
however, whether parental directly affect adolescent delinquency. Recent studies
have shown that young people who are not able to control their impulses and
emotions are more likely to engage in delinquent and violent behavior.
Furthermore, adolescent self-control may be affected by the way they are raised
by their parents. In sum, the present study tested a model in which parenting
practices affect adolescent delinquency indirectly through the mediating
influence of adolescent self-control. Self-report questionnaires were
administered among 326 13-17- year old boys and girls, assessing (1) parenting
practices, such as monitoring, affection expression and use of disciplinary
methods, (2) self control, and (3) delinquency (e.g., petty crime, aggressive
acts). High correlations between self-control and delinquency were found (r's
between .40 and .51, p < .001). Furthermore, parenting practices explained
about 20% of the variance in adolescent self-control. Hierarchical regression
analyses confirmed that self-control mediates the link between parenting
practices and delinquency. Additionally, direct but small effects of some
parenting practices on delinquency emerged. Moreover, mothers' parenting
practices contributed more strongly to adolescent self-control and delinquency
than fathers' parenting practices. These findings underline the crucial role of
self-control in adolescent delinquency. Parents are to be blamed but the
question is for what. Implications for research and prevention are discussed.
OP-7.2.-MEDIATION OF PARENTAL SOCIALISING PRACTICES IN THE RELATION BETWEEN EARLY AGGRESSIVE TV VIEWING AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN ADULTHOOD
Lubanska, D. and Fraczek*,
A. S.
Graduate School for Social Research, Polish Academy of Sciences; Department
of Education, Warsaw University. *Department of Education, Warsaw University;
Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, MHSW, Warsaw, Poland.
To
investigate the long-term effects of childhood exposure to television violence,
follow-up data were collected in the early 1990s on a sample of 106 Polish youth
in their early 20s, who had previously been tested and interviewed when children
three times between years 1979 and 1981 (Huesmann & Eron, 1986). In accord
with recent cognitive modifications of social learning theory (Bandura, 1986)
and results of the parallel American study (Huesmann & Moise, 1998), our
hypothesis is that early childhood aggressive TV viewing exerts long-term effect
on behaviour of its viewers. The multiple regression analyses and structural
modelling techniques of the follow-up data revealed that – contrary to the US
sample – frequent childhood exposure to television violence does not predict
young adult aggressive behaviour, independently of gender, SES or IQ. The lack
of such relationship was pointed out so far only by a few researchers (Milavsky
et al., 1982; Sheehan, 1986; Wiegman et al., 1992).
It is further hypothesised that aggressive behaviour and its mechanisms result
primarily from deficiency in socialisation processes, with important role played
by inappropriate parental socialising practices (Fraczek, 1993). They are seen
not only as influential of social behaviour but also as mediators of the
relation between childhood exposure to TV violence and interpersonal aggression.
Correlation and regression analyses show differences between the groups
distinguished on the basis of the influence: a few influenced were more often
rejected, punished by parents and certain kinds of their behaviours were
reinforced. A constellation of these practices is found to predict their
interpersonal aggression in adulthood. The mediating effects of the practices in
the relationship between early aggressive TV viewing and level of interpersonal
aggression in adulthood are confirmed with structural modelling analyses. The
knowledge acquired from this research is exploratory for the Polish population
and shows that in spite of general lack of longitudinal effects of early
aggression viewing on aggressive interpersonal behaviour in adulthood, in a few
influenced, a constellation of certain parental socialising practices could be
seen as mediator of the effects.