Properties of the Albama parenting questionnaire in  isiXhosa speaking sample

Madalane, Mzwandile  Sylvester

Properties of the Albama parenting questionnaire in isiXhosa speaking sample

Master Thesis

2014

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Department of Psychology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

The high levels of violence in South Africa are of great concern. Harsh and inconsistent parenting practices have been shown to put children at risk of becoming aggressive. The Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) has proven useful in international studies for detecting the kind of parenting that is associated with aggression in children. There is very limited literature on parenting among isiXhosa-speaking people and other South Africa ethnic populations. lsiXhosa-speaking parents/guardians, who have at least one child between six and eighteen years old and who live around the Cape Town metropole, were chosen as the focus of the study. The purpose of the study was to investigate (a) whether the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire is a useful tool to assess parenting among isiXhosa-speaking parents/guardians and (b) what the psychometric properties of the APQ are in an isiXhosa-speaking sample. The study used a mixed-methods approach. The first part of the study was of a qualitative nature, where the researcher conducted cognitive interviews with nine isiXhosa-speaking parents/guardians in order to pre-test the initial isiXhosa APQ. The participants were asked what they understood the items of the APQ to mean, the difficulties they experienced in understanding some of the items of the APQ, and also why they responded to the items of the APQ as they did. The outcome of this qualitative part was a revised isiXhosa APQ. The second part of the study was quantitative, where the researcher, as part of a research team, conducted quantitative interviews using the APQ and the Externalising Problems subscale of the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) with 313 isiXhosa-speaking parents/guardians about their parenting practices and the behaviours of their children. The results showed that the isiXhosa-speaking participants engaged in positive and involved parenting practices as well as in inconsistent and harsh disciplinary practices. Exploratory factor analysis was done, which suggested a new five factor solution of the APQ in this sample, of which only two factors (named positive and involved parenting practices and inconsistent parental discipline and supervision) had sufficient internal consistency to be deemed as reliable. Finally, negative parenting practices (i.e., lack of positive and involved parenting practices, inconsistent parental discipline and harsh disciplinary practices} were confirmed to be associated with aggression in children. The latter suggested that the APQ is a valid tool to use in an isiXhosa-speaking sample. The significance of the study is firstly that a possible short form isiXhosa version of the APQ is presented. This tool is seen as appropriate and useful to identify parenting practices that are associated with child aggression among isiXhosa-speaking people. Secondly, the study has thrown light on some of the parenting practices among isiXhosa-speaking parents/guardians. Lastly, the study has confirmed what existing literature has said about lack of positive parenting practices, inconsistent parental discipline and/or harsh discipline being significantly associated with aggression in children.

Description

Includes bibliographical references.

Keywords

Clinical Psychlolgy

Reference:

Collections

Masters

Full item page