Article Version of Record

Adolescent perceptions of parenting styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An exploratory study

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Olivari, Maria Giulia
Hertfelt Wahn, Elisabeth
Maridaki-Kassotaki, Katerina
Antonopoulou, Katerina
Confalonieri, Emanuela

Abstract / Description

Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents’ retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek) participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece) ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.

Keyword(s)

adolescents parenting styles PSDQ country comparison culture

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2015-05-29

Journal title

Europe's Journal of Psychology

Volume

11

Issue

2

Page numbers

244–258

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Olivari, M. G., Hertfelt Wahn, E., Maridaki-Kassotaki, K., Antonopoulou, K., & Confalonieri, E. (2015). Adolescent perceptions of parenting styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An exploratory study. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(2), 244–258. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i2.887
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Olivari, Maria Giulia
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Hertfelt Wahn, Elisabeth
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Maridaki-Kassotaki, Katerina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Antonopoulou, Katerina
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Confalonieri, Emanuela
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T09:59:22Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T09:59:22Z
  • Date of first publication
    2015-05-29
  • Abstract / Description
    Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents’ retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek) participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece) ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Olivari, M. G., Hertfelt Wahn, E., Maridaki-Kassotaki, K., Antonopoulou, K., & Confalonieri, E. (2015). Adolescent perceptions of parenting styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An exploratory study. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 11(2), 244–258. https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i2.887
  • ISSN
    1841-0413
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/946
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1138
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ejop.v11i2.887
  • Keyword(s)
    adolescents
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    parenting styles
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    PSDQ
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    country comparison
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    culture
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Adolescent perceptions of parenting styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An exploratory study
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Europe's Journal of Psychology
  • Page numbers
    244–258
  • Volume
    11
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record