Parenting Styles, Internalization of Values and Self-Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Study in Spain, Portugal and Brazil

Abstract

The present study analyzes the impact of parenting styles on adolescents’ self-esteem and internalization of social values in three countries, Spain, Portugal and Brazil. The sample of the study was comprised of 2091 adolescents from Spain (n = 793), Portugal (n = 675), and Brazil (n = 623) from 12–18 years old (52.1% females). The four types of parenting styles, authoritative, indulgent, authoritarian and neglectful, were measured through the warmth and strictness dimensions of the Scale of Parental Socialization ESPA29. The two criteria variables were captured with the five dimensions of the AF5, Five-Factor Self-Concept Questionnaire, and with self-transcendence and conservation Schwartz values. Results confirm emergent research in parenting socialization: the use of parental warmth is evidenced as key for adolescent self-esteem and internalization of social values in the three countries analyzed. Indulgent and authoritative parenting (both characterized by parental warmth) are associated with the highest value internalization in the three countries. Furthermore, indulgent parenting (use of warmth) is associated with the highest adolescent self-esteem, overcoming authoritative parenting (use of warmth and strictness). The influence of parenting over adolescent self-esteem and values internalization is maintained independent of the differences in self-esteem and value priorities observed in the cultural context, the sex and age of the participants.

Adolescent Perception of Maternal Practices in Portugal and Spain: Similarities and Differences

“…According to this study, in the current digital era the indulgent and authoritative styles are the optimal styles, especially the indulgent one, whereas those from neglectful and authoritarian homes were associated with poor adolescent adjustment. These results are also reported in studies carried out in Spain and Portugal [24,35,36,[52][53][54].…”

Parenting Styles and Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Omani School and University Students

“…The findings show that 21% of the variance in school students' self-efficacy beliefs and 10% of the variance in university students' efficacy beliefs are explained by the model of the three parenting styles (separately for fathers and mothers). This confirms different theoretical models (e.g., Bandura, motivational model and social ecological model) that emphasize the important role of families in the development of students' behavior, academic motivation, and values [45,84]. Moreover, the results stress the need to facilitate productive environmental factors that work in congruence with the teachers' efforts to foster high levels of academic motivation in students during their school and university years.…”

Exploring the Role of Family and School as Spaces for 1.5 Generation South Korean’s Adjustment and Identity Negotiation in New Zealand: A Qualitative Study

“…As Schwartz, Zamboanga, Rodriguez and Wang [39] (p. 161) point out, "parents and family members pass down their ethnic heritage by teaching their children about and exposing them to history, traditions, symbols, historical figures and community member from the family's heritage culture". Although imposing the values of parents' culture of origin helps to maintain 1.5 generation South Koreans' ethic identity, strict parenting style may have a negative impact on their psychological adjustment in a new country [40,41]. As a result, family in the context of transnational migration was also the primary site of intergenerational conflict, emerging from exposure to the rapid cultural adjustment of children to their new country, as compared to that of their parents [11].…”