Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v22i4.3606
The Connection Between Parental Sense of Competence and Support in Early and Preschool Children’s Upbringing
Lidija Fotez
orcid.org/0000-0003-1703-1324
; Kindergarten “Latica” Klenovnik Klenovnik 32, 42244 Klenovnik, Croatia
Andreja Brajša-Žganec
orcid.org/0000-0003-0846-6297
; Institute of Social Sciences Ivo Pilar Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The perception of parenthood is observed through parental attitudes and beliefs
about children and parenting. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship
between how parents perceive their own parental competencies (parental selfefficacy,
parental internal and external locus of control) and social support of
close people (friends, family and significant others), according to sex and parental
education. The study involved 194 subjects, 148 mothers and 46 fathers. A weak
connection was found between parental self-efficacy and social support. Parents
who perceive to be more self-effective estimate that they also receive more support
from their environment and vice versa. No statistically significant difference was
found in the perception of parental competence and the perception of social support
with regard to sex, but the difference was found in parental self-efficiency and the
external locus of control depending on the level of education. Parents with lower
and high school education perceive themselves to be more self-effective in the
parental role and have a larger external locus of control, compared to academically
educated parents. In conclusion, it is important to recognize parents with low selfefficacy,
i.e. lower parental competence, as well as those who estimate that they
have little support from their environment, and to direct them to the possibilities
of increasing parental competence.
Keywords
parental competence; parental self-efficacy, parental internal and external locus of control; mothers; fathers; perceived social support
Hrčak ID:
250618
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2020.
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