Effect opvoedingsgedrag en relatie met beste vriend(in) op probleemgedrag

Abstract

Objective: Given the fact that child problem behavior can have a devastating effect on a child’s development and could also effect it’s family, it is critical to know which factors are responsible for the development of problem behavior. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of parenting behavior and the relationship with a best friend on child problem behavior in early adolescence. Method: The sample consisted of children attending the last grade of primary school (N = 335) and the first grade of secondary school (N = 239). 283 boys and 290 girls filled out questionnaires, with an average age of 12.02 year. The measures used in this study were the Parental Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ), the Network of Relationship Inventory (NRI) and the Youth Self Report (YSR). Results: The results showed that more authoritarian behavior of a mother is positively related to both more aggressive and delinquent behavior of the child. More authoritarian and less supportive behavior of father is related to more anxious/depressive and aggressive behavior in children. Further, less authoritative behavior of the father is related to more delinquent behavior of the child. Finally, negative interactions with a best friend are positively related to more anxious/depressive, aggressive and delinquent behavior. Conclusion: This study is of theoretical interest because the results demonstrate firstly a significant effect of parenting behavior and secondly reveals how the relationship with a best friend affects problem behavior of a child. Findings underscore the importance of research concerning these two variables. Further research of parenting behavior should be focussed on parental gender to further understand the effects of individual parenting behavior. The relationship with a best friend and the effect of this relationship on problem behavior is also an understudied topic. Research concerning this relationship might yield interesting results.