A Latent Profile Analysis of Latino Parenting Behaviors: The Infusion of Cultural Values on Family Conflict

Purpose: Parenting is central in the lives of Latinos (Parra-Cardona et al., 2008). We examine the relationship between parenting practices and family conflict as family conflict may place youth at higher risk for problem behavior (Marsiglia et al., 2009). Four predominant parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful) have historically been used to describe parenting behaviors (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Among Latino families, the literature is sparse and suggests Latino parents fall into “non-traditional” parenting styles. In one study, over 60% of Latino parents were classified as “protective” (Rodriguez et al., 2009). Lacking in the literature is the inclusion of parents’ efforts to culturally socialize their children. Latinos ethnic based values, such as familismo, may influence their parenting behaviors. In the present study we 1) examine how acculturation and social support informs Latinos’ parenting behaviors, controlling for gender and education, 2) describe parenting styles that are culturally grounded, and 3) test how these parenting styles are associated with family conflict.  

 Methods: Parents (N=489; 93% Mexican-born) completed a survey prior to participation in a parenting education program at their child’s school (N=8). Five measures of parenting were assessed: Involvement (“Do you and your youth do things together…?”, 10-items, alpha=.79), monitoring (“Do you usually know what type of homework your child has?”, 8-items, alpha=.83), agency (“I feel sure of myself as a mother/father”, 8-items, alpha=.70), discipline self-efficacy (“I am a good enough disciplinarian…”, 7-items, alpha=.81), and familism (“Parents should teach children that the family always comes first”, 6-items, alpha=.98). Predictors/covariates included Mexican- (6-items, alpha=.77) and Anglo-orientation sub-scales (6-items, alpha=.85), education (40% < high school diploma), sex (85% female), and social support (10-items, alpha=.94). Outcomes included family conflict (“How often do you disagree with your adolescent about lying to a parent?”, 8-items, alpha=.76).

Results: A 3-step Latent Profile Analysis model was run using Mplus (Muthen & Muthen, 2013). A 4-class solution resulted in the best model fit (lowest AIC, BIC, adjusted BIC, significant parametric bootstrapped likelihood ratio test and a LMR test): Warm parenting (high involvement, monitoring, agency; low discipline self-efficacy and familism), family parenting (high involvement, monitoring, agency, and familism; low discipline self-efficacy), disciplinarian parenting (high discipline self-efficacy and familism; low involvement, monitoring and agency), and moderate parenting (high familism, and moderate involvement, monitoring, and agency).  Being female and greater Mexican- and Anglo-orientation predicted warm parenting. Greater support predicted family parenting. Lower Mexican- and Anglo-orientation predicted disciplinarian parenting. Warm and family parenting styles were associated with less family conflict while disciplinarian and moderate parenting styles were associated with greater family conflict.

Discussion: This study revealed that ethnic based values (i.e., familismo) are a critical dimension to Latino parenting practices; social support and acculturation impacted parenting behaviors; and harsher discipline practices was associated with increased parent-child conflict.  Culturally based parenting practices need to be a critical element in family interventions in order to minimize conflict and promote positive youth outcomes. As social workers, we need to advocate for family policies that understand and support culturally adaptive parenting techniques.