Parenting styles and hormone levels as predictors of physical and indirect aggression in boys and girls

Date

2014

Authors

Pascual Sagastizábal, Eider
Azurmendi, Aitziber
Braza, Francisco
Vergara, Ana I.

Director

Publisher

Wiley
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Artículo / Artikulua
Versión aceptada / Onetsi den bertsioa

Project identifier

Impacto
No disponible en Scopus

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between parenting style, androgen levels, and measures of physical and indirect aggression. Peer ratings of aggression were obtained from 159 eight‐year‐old children (89 boys and 70 girls). Parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian or permissive) were assessed using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ). Saliva samples were obtained from children and assayed for testosterone and androstenedione concentrations. A regression analysis revealed that high testosterone levels were associated with a higher level of physical aggression in boys with authoritarian mothers. Testosterone was also found to moderate the relationship between father’s authoritarian parenting and physical aggression in girls, with both moderate and high levels being significant. In relation to indirect aggression, moderate and high levels of testosterone were associated with higher levels of this type of aggression in girls with permissive mothers. Our results highlight the importance of taking into account the interaction of biological and psychosocial variables when investigating aggressive behavior.

Description

Keywords

Testosterone, Parenting styles, Physical aggression, Indirect aggression

Department

Psicología y Pedagogía / Psikologia eta Pedagogia

Faculty/School

Degree

Doctorate program

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© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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