Abstract:
This study examined parenting and teaching style and children’s social behaviours in young primary school age children. This study included 72 parents and 32 teachers from New Zealand primary schools, with a specific focus on children in school years 1- 3. Data were collected from parents and teachers on demographic variables and dimensions of affection, behavioural control and psychological control. Parents and teachers also provided data on the extent of children’s prosocial and aggressive behaviour and their acceptance by peers. The questionnaires were completed either online or as hard copies. Data were matched to determine the level of agreement between raters on the individual child’s social behaviour. Mean scores were calculated and compared for the parenting and teaching style dimensions. Analysis of parenting and teaching styles showed most parents and teachers scored highest on measures of affection and behavioural control, and the least on psychological control. This research also found that parents and teachers tended to agree on children’s displays of aggressive behaviours, but they showed lower levels of agreement in their perceptions of prosocial and peer acceptance. Parent demographics, such as ethnicity, education, ordinal position and age of the child individually affected parent and teacher agreement of perceived of child’s social behaviour. Agreement between parents and teachers on ratings of child social behaviour was highest for parents with tertiary level education, parents of European ethnicity, children who were the youngest child in the family and for children seven years or older. Overall, the findings from this study are consistent with past research, showing a low level of agreement between parents and teachers on prosocial behaviour and peer acceptance and a higher level of agreement about aggressive behaviours.