Democratic Upbringing as Perceived by Parents and Children within the Kuwaiti Family: A Field Study.

The objective of this field study was to identify some of the socialization styles as perceived by parents and their children through their social practices within the Kuwaiti family. A purposive sample was used to fit the objective of this study. It consisted of families who have children in the intermediate and secondary schools. Research tools were administered to brothers and sisters in the same family at a given educational level, as well as to heir fathers and mothers. The sample comprised 130 families with 520 subjects of which 260 were fathers and mothers (parents), and 260 were sons and daughters (children) equally divided by sex. A questionnaire of 28 items was designed for both parents and children. It measures three main domains: a) Rights and duties, b) Equality. c) Freedom of expression. The Main results of the study were as follows: a) there was a general agreement on the issue of freedom of expression, and no substantial differences were found between the items of this issue, b) the responses of both parents and children were consistent in most of the items of the questionnaire, c) there was an agreement on the points of view of mothers and fathers on the socialization styles, d) girls feel less discrimination than boys within the family, e) sexual stereotyping and male roles were evident in the socialization process, and f) the Kuwaiti family seems to adopt democratic strategies in the socialization process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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