Relationships between Parenting Styles, Severity of Punishment, Importance of Religion in Child Development and Childhood Social Behaviors in Caribbean Immigrant Families

Using cultural ecological, parenting frameworks, and immigrant adjustment perspectives as a guide, this study explored the relationship between parenting style, severity of punishment, parental assessment of the importance of religion in child development, and children’s social behaviors among Caribbean immigrant families in the US. The sample consisted of 57 mother-father pairs who had a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten-age child. Parents provided assessments of their parenting styles using the Parental Authority Questionnaire and answered two Likert-type questions about parental importance of religion in child development, and severity of punishment. They also provided assessments of their children’s social skills. Paired sample t-test indicated that there were no significant differences between mothers’ and fathers’ assessments of parenting styles, severity of punishment, views on the importance of religion in childhood development, or children’s social behaviors. Multiple regression analysis indicated that fathers’ authoritative parenting style, severity of punishment, and parental ideas about the importance of religion in childhood development were all significantly associated with children’s social behaviors. Data are discussed in terms of the importance of fathers’ parenting practices and beliefs and childhood social skills in immigrant families. Relationships between Parenting Styles, Severity of Punishment, Importance of Religion in Child Development and Childhood Social Behaviors in Caribbean Immigrant Families By Elif Dede Yildirim B.A. Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey, 2004