PRE-TEENS PERCEPTIONS OF SELF & PARENTS

The purpose of this study is to compare self-perceptions (as measured by the Child Personality Assessment Questionnaire) and perceptions of parents (as measured by The Parental Acceptance/Rejection Questionnaire) in two groups of pre-teens (ages 11 and 12 years): (1) a group of emotionally disturbed pre-teens living in a residential home setting; and (2) a group of preteens, with no history of emotional disturbance, living at home with their biological parents.

The rationale for the study rests on Rohner's (1991) Parental Acceptance/Rejection Theory. This theory holds that parental warmth, love and affection, and the withdrawal of parental love, warmth and affection shape human behavior in all societies. Rohner claims that the seriously rejected child has not learned how to give love because he has never known a loving parent after whom he can model his own behavior. The effect of this rejection takes a toll on the person's adjustments throughout his life; indeed the theory postulates that parental rejection is a significant underlying causal factor for many behavioral and psychological disorders of childhood and adolescence.

The key element explaining maladjustment or disturbed behavior is said to be not only failure due to lack of exposure to a parental role model of how to behave in a loving fashion but also to the fact that lack of affection damages child

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). PERCEIVED PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE/REJECTION AND PARENTAL CONTROL AMONG KOREAN ADOLESCENTS. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 56(2), 524-528. It should be noted that not all studies support Rohner's Parental Acceptance/Rejection Theory. This study is relevant because it documents this fact. Specifically, Korean teens were given two questionnaires, one of which was the PARQ and the other of which measured their perceptions of the degree to which their parents attempt to control their behavior. The theory would predict that high levels of control would be associated with high levels of rejecting behavior; however, the authors noted that: . . .parental control correlated positively with perceived parental warmth and low neglect. Findings contrast with studies of North American youth. (p.524) In other words, the sample of Korean youths did not behave as the theory would have predicted. Cultural differences were discussed as explanation for findings. Group Homes/Residential Placement One half of the study's sample will consist of teens living in group homes. Therefore, the studies reviewed here examine the general nature and function of group homes; studies addressing emotional disturbances of teens placed in group homes are emphasized. SA
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Approximate Word count = 6465
Approximate Pages = 26 (250 words per page)