Ferenc Margitics and Zsuzsa Pauwlik: The relationship between the preference of coping strategies and perceptions of parenting The aim of the present study is to identify (1) gender differences in the preference of coping strategies and (2) relationships between the subjects’ perceptions of parenting (family atmosphere, parental educational goals, parenting style and parenting behaviour) and coping strategies applied in difficult life situations. Students in secondary and higer education (N=1104, 700 female and 404 male) participated in the study. The instruments included the Hungarian adaptation of Folkman and Lazarus’ Conflict Resolution Questionnaire, Goch’s Family Socialisation Questionnaire and the Hungarian version of the Parental Bonding Instrument by Parker et al. The results showed significant gender differences only for three coping strategies. Among problem-centred coping strategies, girls were more prone to problem analysis, while among the emotion-centred ones, they preferred withdrawal more than boys. Furthermore, willingness to ask for help was more characteristic of girls. The results reveal different patterns of family socialisation and parenting behind the preference of coping strategies by the subjects’ gender. For both girls and boys, emotion-centred coping was more closely associated with family socialisation and parenting. The preference of emotion-centred strategies is promoted by conflict-ridden family atmosphere in the case of boys, and by inconsistent and manipulative parenting attitudes in the case of girls. Additional contributing factors are maternal overprotection and manipulation, as well as paternal inconsistent parenting behaviour for boys and disharmony between maternal and paternal parenting, paternal overprotection and conflict-ridden family atmosphere for girls. MAGYAR PEDAGÓGIA 106. Number 1. 43-62. (2006) Levelezési cím / Address for correspondence: Margitics Ferenc és Pauwlik Zsuzsa, Nyír¬egy¬házi Főiskola, Pszichológia Tanszék, Dr. Margitics Ferenc H-4400 Nyíregyháza, Déri Miksa ú 23. |
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