Parent relation as meta-individual feature related to family structure and child age

Abstract

The results of the study of parent-child relationship in families with one child and with two or more children are presented. Differences in parent relation to children of primary school and adolescent age are considered. Theoretical bases were the conception of a family as a system, the theory of integral individuality and the notion of meta-individuality. The sample included 52 parents having two children and 48 parents having three children. 43 parents had the only child of primary school age, 48 parents had the only child of adolescent age. Children age ranged from 8 to 17. 10 parameters of parent relation were measured with Parent-child relationship questionnaire developed by I.M.Markovskaya. The specific characters of parent relation towards children of different age manifest in more emotional closeness with the younger children and more control of the older ones. The peculiarities of different family types are due to differences in relationship satisfaction and parental authority. Interaction of such factors as birth order and family structure was found for parameters of emotional closeness, cooperation, consistency and parents’ acceptance of a child. The results are discussed in the context of meta-individuality problem.