Abstract
The present study investigated the relationship between variables of father’s behaviour and their daughter’s levels of self-esteem - both were explored based on the perceptions of the daughter. Self-esteem was viewed as the measure of worthiness that one attributed to oneself, whilst the variables of father’s behaviour included support, punishment, control, rejection, indulgence, autonomy and protectiveness. The same elements of mother’s behaviour were also considered to see how they related to their daughter’s self-esteem; the primary motive for doing this was to provide a contrast to the outcome of the fathering information.
The participation of seventy-seven young adult women between the ages of 21 and 34, and from different race groups and cultural backgrounds was requested through a number of associates who then passed the relevant questionnaires on to their associates. Respondents were asked to return the questionnaires fully completed, and data on father variables and self-esteem were then used from these questionnaires.
Statistical analysis involved non-parametric analyses in the form of Spearman’s Correlation Rank and demonstrated a significant, negative correlation between protectiveness and self-esteem (r =-.368, p<0.001, 13.54% of variance) only for the father behaviours, while for the mother behaviours significant correlations existed between praise and self esteem, rejection and self-esteem, punishment self-esteem and protectiveness and the young adult women’s self-esteem. Theoretically and practically the implications of the findings suggest that parents and the roles they play may have an impact on their daughter’s self-esteem, at least for this sample, and thus future research into the meanings of the above findings and their impact on children - or more specifically - female children is a worthwhile undertaking, as is consideration of the stereotypical gender roles that society upholds.
Brenda Radebe