engleski

Gender Differences and Components of Parenting Style in Predicting Self-Perceived Emotional Intelligence

This study examined the relationship between parenting style and self-perceived emotional intelligence in male and female adolescents. Parenting style was studied within the parental acceptance-rejection theory (Rohner, 1984), and discussed within the larger theoretical frame of recent models of family socialization. Measures included self-reported parental acceptance and control (Ajdukovic & Delale, 2001 ; Rohner, 1984) and self-perceived emotional intelligence (Delale, 2001 ; adapted from Taksic, 1998). Study participants were 675 high school freshmen from Zagreb, Croatia (298 females and 377 males). There were significant differences in perception of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting style ; both boys and girls perceived mothers to be more accepting than fathers. Gender differences were found in the perception of parental control. Boys perceived their mothers as significantly more controlling than girls. Significant gender differences were also found on variables of perceived emotional intelligence. Girls perceived a greater ability for recognition of their own and other’ s emotions and expressed being higher in openness to emotions, while boys were higher in self-perceived emotion regulation. All subsequent analyses were performed separately for each gender using ratings of both mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles as predictors. The study shows which components of parenting style predict self-perceived emotional intelligence. Parenting style explained between 4 and 19% of the variance in self-perceived emotional intelligence. The prediction was most successful for perceived emotion regulation, especially when girls rated parenting style of their fathers. Most successful individual predictors were parental surveillance and invasion of privacy. The least successful prediction was for recognition of one’ s own emotions. Pathways related to contribution of parenting to self-perceived emotional intelligence of adolescents are discussed.

parenting style; parental acceptance-rejection; parental control; emotional intelligence; gender

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