Uppeldi og menntun - 01.01.2004, Page 26

UPPELDISHÆTTIR FORELDRA OG SJÁLFSÁLIT
ABSTRACT
The relationship between adolescent perceived parenting styles and their self-esteem
was examined at the age of 14 (concurrently), and again at the age of 21
(longitudinally). The data is from a large longitudinal study on adolescent risk
behaviour.
The participants in the study were 485 (60% girls). The parenting styles were
grouped into four categories: 1) autonomy and high involvement, 2) autonomy and
low involvement, 3) psychological control and high involvement, 4) psychological
control and low involvement. After controlling for participants' gender and tempera-
ment, results indicated that adolescents who considered themselves raised by
autonomy and involvement (no.l), at the age of 14 had the highest self-esteem at that
age. In contrast, adolescents who considered themselves raised by psychological
control and low involvement (no. 4) seemed to have the lowest self-esteem. Also,
parenting styles at age 14 predicted the young peopie's self-esteem at age 21.
Adolescents who considered themselves raised by autonomy at the age of 14, had the
highest self-esteem at the age of 21, regardless of whether they experienced high or
low involvement. In contrast, adolescents who considered themselves raised by
psychological control at the age of 14, had the lowest self-esteem at the age of 21,
regardless of whether they experienced high or low involvement. Furthermore, 14
year-old girls had lower self-esteem than the boys. At the age of 21, however, there
was no gender difference in self-esteem. Finally, the girls' self-esteem became more
positive from the age of 14 to 21, but the boys' self-esteem appeared at a similar level
during the same period.
Sigrún Aðalbjarnardóttir er prófessor í uppeldis- og menntunarfræði
við félagsvísindadeild Háskóla Islands
Kristín Lilja Garðarsdóttir M.A.
er aðstoðarmaður við rannsóknir
24
1