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Associations between parental control and children's overt and relational aggression
Sofie Kuppens1, Hans Grietens, Patrick Onghena
1Department of Educational Sciences, Centre for Parenting, Child Welfare and Disabilities, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Sofie.Kuppens@ped.kuleuven.be
The British Journal of Developmental Psychology
|December 10, 2009
Summary
Parental physical punishment links to overt aggression, while psychological control links to relational aggression in children. Consistent parenting strategies amplify these effects, with gender influencing aggression types.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Child aggression is a significant concern.
- Understanding the influence of parenting styles is crucial for intervention.
- Existing research suggests links between parenting and aggression, but specific associations require further examination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate specialized associations between parental control dimensions and child aggression subtypes.
- To examine the moderating role of gender in these associations.
- To assess the cumulative effect of parental strategies on child aggression.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 600 children aged 8-10 years was studied.
- Parental control and child aggression were assessed using multi-informant reports (child, parents, peers, teachers).
- Statistical analyses examined associations between specific parental control dimensions and aggression subtypes.
Main Results:
- Parental physical punishment positively correlated with overt aggression.
- Parental psychological control positively correlated with relational aggression.
- Similar parenting strategies from both parents showed a cumulative effect on aggression. Overt aggression links were stronger in boys, while relational aggression links were gender-neutral.
Conclusions:
- Parental control strategies are specifically associated with distinct types of child aggression.
- The findings support the hypothesis of specialized associations between parenting and aggression.
- Understanding these nuanced relationships can inform targeted parenting interventions.
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