Parental practices and coping with stress in an all-boys high school

Abstract

Several studies have compared the benefits and limitations of single-sex education versus coeducational schooling. However, few studies have considered this contextual factor, even when some studies suggest that an environment conditioned by same sex peer relationships can be a distinctive source of stress. On the other hand, there is evidence that parental practices influence adolescents' stress coping styles. Consequently, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between parental practices (i. e., control, autonomy, involvement, and authoritarian parenting style), and stress coping styles (i. e., productive, non-productive, reference to others). A total of 167 male adolescents participated in the study (M = 15.28 years old; SD = o.9o). The Parenting Styles Scale (Steinberg, Lamborn, Dornbusch & Darling, 1992) and the Adolescent Coping Scale (Frydenberg & Lewis, 1993) were used. Parental involvement and the authoritarian parenting style were positively associated with the productive coping style. By contrast, it was found a negative relationship between autonomy granting and the non-productive coping style. It is suggested to promote positive parenting practices that foster a productive coping style.