Authoritarian Parenting Style and Aggressive Behaviour in Pre- Adolescents: A Comparative Study between The Netherlands and South Africa and the Influence of Socioeconomic Status within South Africa

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: This study examines whether the relationship between authoritarian parenting and aggressive behaviour in preadolescents differs between the Netbherlands and South Africa and what role socioeconomic status plays within South African context. Method: In a cross-sectional study, 61 South African preadolescents and 77 Dutch preadolescents between the ages of 9 and 13 years old participated. Only mothers who completed questionnaires on both parenting styles and aggressive behaviour were included. Aggressive behavior was included as dependent variable and authoritarian and authoritative parenting as independent variables. To see if SES had a moderating effect on the relation between authoritarian parenting and aggressive behavior, regression analyses were conducted. Results: No significant differences in authoritarian parenting or differences in its relationship with aggressive behaviour between the two countries were found. Neither was there a significant moderating effect of SES. Authoritarian parenting explained the total variance on aggressive behaviour and aggressive behaviour was significantly higher among South African pre adolescents compared to Dutch. Conclusion: The current study implies that an authoritarian way of parenting is related to more aggressive behaviour in preadolescents in both South Africa and the Netherlands. SES does not seem to influence the parenting styles of African mothers, neither its relation to aggressive behaviour. Findings add to results of earlier studies highlighting that parenting plays an important role in the development of aggressive behaviour in adolescents. Additionally, this study supports the idea that there may be a greater universality in the way parenting relates to aggressive behaviour in preadolescents, however, future research should confirm these findings.