No Hagas Eso Niño!: Factors Influencing Parenting Behaviors in Latinx Families

Date Range

2019-10-17 to 2019-10-20

Event Location / Date(s)

/

Presentation Date

10-19-2019

Document Type

Conference Presentation

Presenter(s)/Author(s)

Cynthia Torres, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Description

The literature describes Latinx parents as authoritarian because they engage in parenting behaviors that are high in control (i.e., stern, strict) and low in responsiveness (i.e., warmth, nurture; Hill, Bush, & Roosa, 2003). This may lead some readers to assume that Latinx parents are cold and unresponsive. This is particularly important as the literature supports that authoritarian parenting is associated with externalizing behaviors (i.e., aggressiveness, defiance), less social competence, and overall maladaptive patterns in children (Jabachourian et al., 2014; Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2009). However, there is little consideration of why Latinx parents use these parenting practices. Actually, in Latinx families, there is some evidence that suggests that controlling and authoritarian parenting is protective against youths’ engagement in delinquency and substance use (Yabiku et al., 2010). Therefore, the parenting practices that have been previously described in a primarily European-American sample should be conceptualized through a culturally sensitive lens. This presentation will highlight the findings of a study conducted with Latinx parents in South Florida, which examined the impact stress and parental psychopathology had on their parenting behaviors. A sample of 64 Latino parents was selected from the community as well as clinical populations. Parents completed measures of stress, psychopathology, and parenting behaviors. The results showed that immigration stress and parental depression were significantly associated with parenting behaviors (β = .313, t = 2.347, p < .05; β = .291, t = 2.191, p < .05). The researchers postulate that Latinx parents face challenges (i.e., economic hardships, immigration), which exacerbate their stress, and in turn, lead parents to resort to parenting behaviors that are controlling. These parenting behaviors aim to protect children in an environment in which parents are unfamiliar with the values and norms of the host culture.

NSUWorks Citation

Torres, C. (2019). No Hagas Eso Niño!: Factors Influencing Parenting Behaviors in Latinx Families. .
Available at: https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facpresentations/4668