The role of parental perceived control in child development: A longitudinal study

Abstract

The study investigated the role of parental perceived control in child development. A discussion of the conceptual bases of two parental locus-of-control scales led to differential predictions as regards their relations with parent experiences during infancy and child problems and competencies at 4 and 9 years. The Parental Control of Child’s Behaviour scale was suggested to measure perceived control and to be related to infancy factors and child outcomes. The Parental Responsibility scale was tentatively seen as measuring a stereotypic view, and associations with infancy aspects and child outcomes were not predicted. In a normal longitudinal sample of 103 families, mothers’ and fathers’ control ratings were obtained at ages 33 months and 9 years. In contrast to parental responsibility ratings, parental control ratings were predicted by child difficultness and parental adaptation during infancy, and more perceived control was associated with fewer problems and more competence both longitudinally and concurrently. Both fathers’ and mothers’ perceived control was important. It was further concluded that the Parental Control scale could function as a psychometrically adequate measure of how parents perceive their actual control in the rearing situation.