Thesis on "Parenting Style & Jewish Youth Alcohol Use"

Thesis 61 pages (17942 words) Sources: 117

[EXCERPT] . . . .

It is also noteworthy that these findings hold true across ethnicities and gender and higher levels of parental support and involvement are consistently associated with less alcohol use by adolescents (Goncy & van Dulman, 2010).

One of the parenting styles that has positively influenced reduced alcohol use among adolescent college adults is the authoritative style (Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2006). Authoritative parents are described as being highly demanding but responsive, demonstrating noteworthy success in safeguarding their children from alcohol use frequency (Baumrind, 1991, 2005). Though children whose parents are authoritative were least unstable and most adept, those with parents having a fairly imbalanced demanding-responsive ratio, i.e., non-authoritarian-directive and democratic, were nearly equally well adjusted and adept. As compared to youth from democratic as well as authoritative backgrounds, those hailing from directive families- non-authoritarian and authoritarian- were slightly less academically adept and individuated; however, they had good social skills. Those whose parents are non-authoritarian-directive were more proficient and less troubled than those whose parents are authoritarian-directive.

Thus, children's levels of competency can be predicted by parenting styles; also, parenting styles can temper impacts of (perceived) parenting practices excluding abuse. Hence, variables that represent demandingness factor prove more beneficial when implanted in authoritative structures. Contrary to authoritarian structures, the authoritative structure combines firm supervision and control on behavior with support of child self-sufficiency and affection. Likewise, high responsiveness levels positively impact children when combined with high levels of demandingness in authoritative systems, but not on combining with low levels of demandingness in tolerant settings. Earlier outcomes (for instance, Baumrind, 1991) show a positive association of adolescent autonomy with authoritative parenting (Baumrind, 2005).

Problem Statement

According to demographic research conducted by Brandeis University (2011), there are 6.8 million Jewish adults and children in the United States, 20% of which live in the state of New York (Tighe, et al., 2012). Since 2005, there has been an increase in alcohol intake among adolescent Jews (Fogel, 2005). Adolescents who drink may be more likely to drink excessively when they are adults, a situation that could lead to mental and physical health problems (Yang et al., 2010). Therefore, direct and immediate action is necessary in order to ensure the long-term health of Jewish youth, their families, and their communities.

There are few documented studies examining the relationship of parenting styles and alcohol use frequency of college and rabbinical college students in the American Jewish community. This study will seek to reveal a new dimension of possible perceived parenting style relationship with alcohol drinking frequency from a cultural lens within the United States Jewish community. The degree to which parenting styles influence college age drinking frequency within the Jewish community remains unknown because earlier studies have not examined this issue in a cultural context (Beck et al., 2004).

The relations among parental views on effectiveness in preventing teen substance abuse, teen competence, substance use and parenting practices were studied (Chang et al., 2013). Chang and coworkers (2013) demonstrated that parental effectiveness is a critical contributor in promotion of teen competence, enhancement of parenting practices, and reduction in teen substance consumption. Parenting style research isn't just done by Baumrind; Alfred Adler also added to the field of defining and classifying parenting. Adler's autocratic parenting theory is analogous to Baumrind's authoritarian parenting style. Moreover, Adlerian theory's permissive style of parenting is considered detrimental as it doesn't inculcate a sense of accomplishment in children. Permissive and autocratic styles of parenting do not successfully turn kids into responsible individuals after growing up. Democratic parenting, however, is deemed as more suitable from Adler's perspective because of autonomy, behavioral compliance and psychological adjustment ideals (Pressley, 2013).

Mills (2010) indicated that student results and general parenting style weren't appreciably linked; the relation between these two components was not moderated by locus of control. Additionally, gender and style of parenting were also not appreciably linked. Yet, these research outcomes on parental practice of formulating domestic rules are at odds with earlier research findings, like Baumrind (2005). Parents who adopt authoritative reasoning with their teenage children for clearing up their own standing, while simultaneously taking into account their child's standpoint, are believed to endorse and value teen autonomy; their behavior with their teenage children is similar to their behavior with adult cohorts (Sorkhabi, 2010). This may shed light on why authoritative reasoning is linked with few disputes and harmonious relations in the current study. Research outcomes depict that reciprocity exhibited in authoritative reasoning is linked to lower incidences of conflicts; this is possibly attained by enhancement of mutual understanding in dyadic perceptions, as it decreases parental authority's negative potential (to force or extricate), and by enhancing the inclination to cooperate with each other (Sorkhabi, 2010). Permissive style of parenting proves to be the least tricky, and children growing up in such backgrounds are less liable to display criminal, delinquent and aberrant behaviors (Spraitz, 2011). Predictably, children whose parents spurned or ignored them were more liable to display criminal, delinquent and aberrant behaviors. In the meantime, authoritative and authoritarian styles projected hardly any behaviors. Regardless of differences in individuals (male/female; white/non-white; country jail prisoner / college student), the parenting style they experienced in childhood predicts behavior. Higher perspective taking (PT) by mothers indicated lesser externalizing issues in sons only if high clear expectation (CE) levels were shown by mothers (Sher-Censor, Assor & Oppenheim, 2014). Therefore, in circumstances wherein parent-teen conflicts occur, understanding of parents towards opposing viewpoints by their teen, together with clear statements on behavior expectations may link to improved socio-emotional performance of teenage boys. Study findings agree with earlier research above (e.g., Baumrind, 2005).

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this quantitative survey research will be to examine what parenting styles are associated with alcohol consumption among Jewish college students in the United States. Since 2005, there has been an increase in alcohol intake among adolescent Jews (Fogel, 2005).This study adds a new dimension of culture to previous studies in the literature on alcohol and parenting. Earlier studies have not focused specifically on cultural context when studying the relationships between parenting styles and alcohol use by adolescents (Beck et al., 2004; Bahr & Hoffmann, 2010; Fogel, 2005; Balhorn, Cheong, Larimer & Conce, 2007; Njenga, 2005; Patock-Peckham, & Nagoshi, 2001; Peckham & Lopez, 2007).

This study has the potential to result in positive social change by bringing to light cultural aspects of parenting styles and their potential effects on patterns of drinking. Investigating the relationship through of parenting styles and alcohol consumption patterns in adolescents may reveal the need for better intervention programs or community health initiatives (Bahr & Hoffman, 2012; Changalwa et al., 2012; Peckham & Lopez, 2007).

Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

Attachment Theory, social learning theory, and Baumrind's (1991, 2005) parenting styles model are the main theoretical frameworks used in this research. It is postulated that parenting style is related to issues like teen ability to withstand peer pressure and to develop positive self-image, which are in turn related to self-regulation regarding alcohol use. Figure 1 outlines the variable relationships being tested by this study of alcohol consumption of Jewish college students.

Parenting styles have influenced the degree and frequency of alcohol use in college age students (Larimer & Conce, 2007, Yang et al., 2010). In particular, there has been a clear association between parental monitoring and reduced drinking among teens (Beck et al., 2004). One of the parenting styles that have positively influenced reduced alcohol use among adolescent college adults was the authoritative style (Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2006). Authoritative parents are described as being highly demanding but responsive, demonstrating noteworthy success in safeguarding their children from alcohol use frequency (Baumrind, 1991; 2005).

Parenting styles have been identified as a dominant factor in deciding the overall outlook of a child's behavior (Baumrind, 1991, 2005). In particular, with an authoritative style, parents can mediate alcohol use frequency in their teen children (Yang et al., 2012). Even in late adolescence, parental involvement in accordance with alcohol use education and support, yielded young adults making better peer friendships in college, leading to preventative measures of excess alcohol intake (Abar & Turrisi, 2008). Similarly, successful parental monitoring allowed for their college aged children to pick friends that do not abuse alcohol; in these cases, parents served as good mentors in developing healthy coping strategies for becoming productive members of society (Abar & Turrisi, 2008).

Healthy attachment styles are also related to parenting styles (Doyle, Karavasilis, & Markiewicz, 2003). Parenting styles are communicated in a number of different ways. For instance, Benson and Haith (2010) note that, "Parenting styles convey parents' overall feeling about the child through body language, tone of voice, emotional displays and quality of attention" (p. 281). In particular, authoritative parenting is correlated with secure adolescent attachment… READ MORE

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