Parenting styles affecting the behaviour of five-year olds

Abstract

The main aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between parenting styles, as used by the pre-school parent and the social behaviour of the five-year old. Specific attention was given to three main parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. The eight developmental perspectives applicable for the five-year old were also discussed.

The research was conducted according to the quantitative approach. The Parental Styles Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) was completed and returned by a sample of 30 parents (N=30) from Evergreen Pre-primary in Gauteng. The representative sample of five-year olds being observed by the teacher were 24 pupils (N=24). The teacher rated the five-year olds' behaviour using the Behavioural Questionnaire (BQ).

These results indicated primarily that the Authoritative Parenting Style was most used by the parents of the five-year old group and that this Parenting Style tends to lead to more acceptable social behaviour among the five-year olds.