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Poster #172 - Exploring Parenting Control across Four Cultures

Thu, March 21, 12:30 to 1:45pm, Baltimore Convention Center, Floor: Level 1, Exhibit Hall B

Integrative Statement

Parental control refers to the strategies parents use to regulate children’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Barber, 1996). Past research on parent’s controlling behaviors across cultures have tended to compare independent- or interdependent-oriented cultures (e.g., Olsen et al., 2002). However, recent research suggests that parental control may be more nuanced both across and within independent- and interdependent-oriented cultures (Park et al., 2014). Specifically, parents from different interdependent cultures (e.g. Chinese-immigrant, Korean-immigrant and Turkish) may utilize different parenting practices despite sharing a general focus on familial interdependence. Moreover, most previous studies have utilized surveys, which did not allow for mothers’ own cultural perspectives. Thus, the current study utilized an emic approach to identify and compare European-American (EAMs), Chinese-immigrant (CIMs), Korean-immigrant (KIMs), and Turkish (TMs) mothers’ conceptualizations of the ways in which they engage in control over their young children.
One-hundred EAMs, 102 CIMs, and 103 KIMs in Maryland, U.S., and 109 TMs in Turkey (Mage=37.15, SD=6.33) with preschool-aged children (Mage=4.46, SD=1.03) were interviewed on their specific strategies of parental control during parent-child interactions. Four teams of native English-, Chinese-, Korean- and Turkish-speaking researchers coded mothers’ responses using the Maternal Expressions of Strictness Coding Scheme (Cheah et al., 2015; κEAM=.75, κCIM=.79, κKIM=.91, κTM=.90 ).
Nine categories of control strategies were revealed (see Table 1). MANCOVA analyses controlling for child’s age, gender, mother’s age, and education were conducted (see Figure 1). EAMs used Setting Rules and Consistency strategies more than all other groups. CIMs used Correction more than other mothers, Physical Punishment more than EAMs and TMs, and Psychological Control more than EAMs. KIMs used Physical Punishment more than other mothers. TMs used Show Parental Seriousness more than EAMs, and Psychological Control more than EAMs and KIMs. Mothers did not differ on their use of Nonphysical Punishment, Reasoning, and Verbal Hostility.
Our findings revealed shared and unique parental control strategies across four cultural groups. Mothers’ similar conceptualizations of the 9 ways to exert control likely reflect shared methods of regulating young children in daily life. EAMs’ focus on setting, maintaining and being consistent with rules may reflect their emphasis on providing clear expectations ahead of time for children to develop independence (Chao, 1996). CIMs' greater use of pointing out and correcting children’s wrong behaviors, and physical punishment, reflect Chinese cultural emphasis on guiding children through stern governance (Chao, 1994). KIMs’ greater use of physical punishment could reflect their emphasis on children’s compliance and the more rigid hierarchical order within Korean families compared to other interdependent cultures (Park & Cheah, 2005). TMs utilized stern facial and vocal expressions more than EAMs, perhaps reflecting a cultural focus on balancing both emotional closeness and obedience from children (Ozdemir & Cheah, 2015). CIMs' and TMs’ greater use of psychological control compared to EAMs reflect a shared focus on promoting children’s sense of interdependence and the internalization of parents’ expectations. Findings will be discussed considering the unique cultural context of each group and culturally-shared socialization demands of mothers of preschoolers.

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