European Association for Research on Adolescence, Date: 2016/09/16 - 2016/09/19, Location: La Barrosa, Cadiz, Spain

Publication date: 2016-09-01

Author:

Spithoven, Annette
Bijttebier, Patricia ; Van Leeuwen, Karla ; Goossens, Luc

Abstract:

Introduction. Researchers have traditionally relied on a tripartite model for parenting behaviour, consisting of the dimensions parental support, psychological control, and behavioural control. However, the term behavioural control has been applied to both positive parenting behaviours, such as providing guidance and structure, as well as negative parenting behaviours, such as pressuring, dominating, and punishing. Therefore, some scholars have argued to distinguish two dimensions of behavioural control, namely reactive control and proactive control. Preliminary empirical evidence was provide by the study of Janssens et al. (2015), in which the behavioural control dimension was differentiated into one dimension of proactive control (i.e., monitoring and rule setting) and two reactive control dimensions (i.e., punishment and harsh punishment). The aim of the current study was to replicate the factor structure of parenting found by Janssens et al. (2015). In addition, because most studies only examined one or a limited number of parenting dimensions in relation to adolescent adjustment, the current study also aimed to examine the unique relation between the parenting dimensions and adolescent adjustment. More specifically, this study focuses on the unique relations of the various parenting dimensions with adolescents’ peer- and parent-related loneliness. Method. The sample consisted of 229 adolescents from Belgium (55.10% male, Mage = 13.88, SD = .92). Various aspects of parenting behaviour was assessed with a series of nine questionnaires (see Janssens et al., 2015). Peer-related loneliness and parent-related loneliness were assessed with the Louvain Loneliness Scale for Children and Adolescents. Three models were tested using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, (a) a three-factor model that distinguished parental support, psychological control, and behavioural control, with reactive control, punishment, and harsh punishment all loading on the latter dimension; (b) a four-factor model that distinguished the dimensions of parental support, psychological control, proactive control, and reactive control, with both punishment and harsh punishment loading on the latter dimension; and (c) a five-factor model that distinguished the dimensions of parental support, psychological control, proactive control, punishment, and harsh punishment. Results. In line with earlier work, the current study found empirical evidence for distinct behavioural control dimensions, as the four-factor model was the best fitting model (χ2 (21)= 68.09, p < .001, RMSEA = .10, CFI = .95). In addition, parental support was related to lower levels of peer-related loneliness (B = -.28, SE = .07, β = -.32, p <.001) as well as lower levels of parent-related loneliness (B = -.42, SE = .03, β = -.65, p <.001). Both more psychological control (B = .13, SE = .04, β = .40, p =.001) and reactive control (B = .10, SE = .03, β = .13, p =.005) were related to higher levels of parent-related loneliness, but not peer-related loneliness. Conclusion. By replicating the findings of Janssens et al. (2015), the current study provide further empirical evidence for the distinction between various dimensions of behavioural control. Moreover, the two studies showed that such a distinction is useful, as proactive and reactive behavioural control proved to be differentially related to various adjustment measures.