Attributions and Attitudes of Mothers and Fathers in Italy

Abstract

SYNOPSIS Objective The present study examined mean level similarities and differences as well as correlations between mothers’ and fathers’ attributions regarding successes and failures in caregiving situations and progressive versus authoritarian attitudes. Design Interviews were conducted with both mothers and fathers in 177 Italian families from Rome and Naples. Results Fathers’ attributions reflected higher perceived control over failure than did mothers’ attributions, whereas mothers reported attitudes that were more progressive than did fathers. Only the difference in progressive attitudes remained significant after controlling for parents’ age, education, and possible social desirability bias. Site differences emerged for four of the seven attributions and attitudes examined; three remained significant after controlling for parents’ age, education, and possible social desirability bias. Medium effect sizes were found for concordance between parents in the same family for authoritarian attitudes and modernity of attitudes after controlling for parents’ age, education, and possible social desirability bias. Conclusions This work elucidates ways that parent gender and cultural context relate to attributions regarding parents’ success and failure in caregiving situations and to progressive versus authoritarian parenting attitudes.

Agreement in Mother and Father Acceptance-Rejection, Warmth, and Hostility/Rejection/ Neglect of Children Across Nine Countries

“…Colombia is traditionally described as a collectivist culture where authoritarian parenting predominates (Cardona, Nicholson, & Fox, 2000), and where gender roles influence parenting (i.e., traditionally fathers were the main economic providers and mothers were the primary source of care for the entire family and had the responsibility for rearing younger children; Ripoll-Núñez & Alvarez, 2008). However, contemporary Colombian parents have been described as holding more progressive views (Di Giunta, Uribe Tirado, & Araque Márquez, 2011; Gómez, 2006). In the last 20 years, women’s increased participation in the work force and high levels of education, and men’s increasing participation with their children may have led to more authoritative parenting styles (Gómez, 2006).…”

“…Italian maternal style is often described as exceedingly warm, protective, and family focused (Bombi et al, 2011; Emiliani & Molinari, 1995), while paternal style is considered to be stricter and more authoritarian (Gandini & Edwards, 2000). Some studies support similar beliefs about parenting and similar parental styles between Italian mothers and fathers (Confalonieri et al, 2010; Venuti & Senese, 2007).…”

Corporal Punishment, Maternal Warmth, and Child Adjustment: A Longitudinal Study in Eight Countries

“…Parents in these groups tend to emphasize the hierarchical nature of parent-child relationships and the importance of children’s obedience and compliance (Bornstein, Putnick, & Lansford, 2011). In the context of such relationships, corporal punishment may relate differently to children’s adjustment than in contexts characterized by less authoritarian parent-child relationships, as is more common in China (Chang, Chen, & Ji, 2011), Italy (Bombi, Pastorelli, Bacchini, Di Giunta, Miranda, & Zelli, 2011), Sweden (Sorbring & Gurdal, 2011), and European Americans and Latin Americans in the United States (Lansford, Bornstein et al, 2011). …”

Reminiscing Style During Conversations About Emotion‐laden Events and Effects of Attachment Security Among Italian Mother–Child Dyads

“…Italian mothers also have higher expectations concerning their child's emotional maturity and stress the importance of control and obedience more than do their US counterparts (Bornstein et al., ). Recent cross‐cultural research suggests that Italian parents underestimate the effectiveness of the adults' intervention because they view development as a child‐driven and naturally unfolding phenomenon in which the parents' role is mainly provision of a safe and protective family environment (Bombi et al., ; Bornstein, Putnick & Lansford, ). Although we do not test cross‐cultural differences, we believe that it is relevant to investigate the quality of reminiscing style among Italian mother–preschooler dyads to verify whether they do (or not) use reminiscing styles consistent with those described for other cultures, given the cultural differences noted above.…”