Original scientific paper
The Effects of Sociodemographic Background on the Conception of Gypsy Parenting and Growing Up
Zoran ŠUĆUR
Abstract
On a sample of 800 Gypsy parents it was examined to what
extent the conception of Gypsy parenting and growing up
had been determined by sociodemographic variables like
age, the number of children, education and housing.
Parenting has not been researched at a model level, but
through aspects of parenting and growing up being
illustrative of Gypsy parents (child care quality, parents'
attitudes about when their children should get married, start
making a living and become independent). In addition, the
role of physical punishment was especially analyzed.
Differences in understanding parenting and growing up
among parents of different sociodemographic backgrounds
have been tested by using hi-square test. It turns out that the
Gypsy conception of parenting and growing up has been
significantly influenced by parental education, the number of
children and housing condition. It means that parents of low
education, having more children and bad housing want their
children to get married, make a living and become
independent as early as possible. Also, these parents
demonstrate poorer care for children and support more often
positive attitudes to the role of physical punishment. A typical
Gypsy family is still dominated by patriarchal relationships,
and parenting is aggravated in a situation of extreme poverty.
Gypsy parents have a protecting attitude to their children, but
it does not last too long because of their growing up early. In
order to alleviate and to enhance Gypsy parenting, it would
be important to provide Gypsy parents with an opportunity to
become literate and more educated, to improve the
infrastructure in Gypsy communities, and to help young
parents regarding upbringing and family planning.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
16240
URI
Publication date:
31.10.2004.
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