Cultural variations in parenting: perceptions of Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American parents

Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, this paper reports a study of cultural variations in parenting of mothers and fathers in two-parent families. Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic, and Asian-American parents were assessed in terms of parenting attitudes, parenting behaviors, and parenting involvement. Multivariate analyses of covariance and analyses of covariance with socioeconomic status as the covariate indicated more similarities than differences between and among the four parenting groups. However, as a group, the ethnic parents indicated a greater general emphasis on their children exercising self-control and succeeding in school than did Caucasian parents.