Effective Parenting and Self-Control: Difference by Gender

Few studies have tested whether the process through which self-control is developed varies by gender. This study examines whether gender differences in self-control among children are explained by differences in parental supervision, monitoring, and discipline using a sample of mothers from National Longitudinal Study of Youth Children and Young Adults (NLSY79-CYA)¹ data (N = 862). This study also examines whether the relationship between parenting factors and self-control is moderated by gender. Using ordinary least squares regression, findings showed that females report higher levels of self-control than males and that this difference is accounted for by parenting factors. Moreover, this study found that the effect of parental discipline for grades and spanking on self-control varied by gender.