Parent-Child Relationships and Children's Images of God

Introduction to Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPARTheory) and Evidence

“…The subtheory also attempts to predict and explain expressive correlates of parental acceptance and rejection. For example, the subtheory predicts -and substantial cross-cultural evidence confirms -that in societies where children tend to be rejected, cultural beliefs about the supernatural world (i.e., about God, gods, and the spirit world) usually portray supernaturals as being malevolent, that is hostile, treacherous, unpredictable, capricious, destructive, or negative in other ways (Batool & Najam, 2009;Bierman, 2005;Dickie et al, 1997;Rohner, 1975Rohner, , 1986Thiele, 2007). However, the supernatural world is usually thought to be benevolent -warm, supportive, generous, protective, or kindly in other ways -in societies where most children are raised with loving acceptance.…”

“…Other studies conclude that paternal love is sometimes the sole significant predictor of specific child outcomes (Rohner & Veneziano, 2001). Studies in this latter category tend to address one or more of the following issues: (1) personality and psychological adjustment problems (Barnett, Marshall, & Pleck, 1992;Bartle, Anderson, & Sabatelli, 1989;Dickie et al, 1997); (2) conduct and delinquency problems (Kroupa, 1988); and (3) substance abuse (Brook, Whiteman, & Gordon, 1981;Eldred, Brown, & Mahabir, 1974).…”

Does Child Maltreatment Mediate Family Environment and Psychological Well-Being?

“…Dickie et al [17] found that worse effects seem to occur when the abuser is the primary care-giver/parent. Children need to find ways to make sense of their trauma.…”

Attachment, Working Models of Self and Others, and God Concept in Kindergarten

“…Studies on images of parents (working models of significant others) and of God have shown similarities between these images (for a review, see Hyde 1990). In a study with four-to eleven-year-olds, Dickie, Eschleman, Merasco, Shepard, Vander Wilt, and Johnson (1997) showed that the father's nurturance was most important for perceiving God as nurturing, while the mother's power was most important for perceiving God as powerful.…”

“…However, the relation of self-evaluations with God concepts in young children has not yet been examined in research. The earlier-mentioned study of Dickie, Eschleman, Merasco, Shepard, Vander Wilt, and Johnson (1997) is the first to include young children's self-perceptions of behavioral characteristics (i.e., nurturance and power) as predictors of God concepts. For their first sample, children's self-ratings were not related to God concepts.…”