Gender Differences in Factors Related to Parenting Style: A Study of High Performing Science Students

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Abstract
This study examined parenting styles within the families of high performing science students and explored gender differences in the factors associated with an authoritative parenting style. Participants in the study were 363 students who competed in the Canada-Wide Science Fair, 1992. Results showed that the authoritative parenting style was predominant among participants and that few students were from families with permissive, authoritarian, or inconsistent parenting styles. Discriminant analysis indicated that the factors associated with authoritative parenting differedfor male andfemale participants. A greater number offamily-related variables emergedforfemales, whereas more motivational and science outcome variables emerged for males. Results also showed the positive effects of authoritative parenting because adolescents from this type offamily showed higher levels offamily cohesion, interaction, and encouragement as well as higher levels of achievement motivation and higher scores on a science outcome measure.