Perceptions of Father Parenting Style, Empathy, and Self-Esteem Among Greek Preadolescents

This study examines the relationship between early adolescents' perceptions of their father's parenting style and two outcomes, global self-esteem and empathy. One hundred ninety primary school pupils (mean age = 11.26 years, standard deviation = 0.73) completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire, the Index of Empathy for Children and Adolescents, and the Self-Perception Profile for Children. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlations, and regression analyses. Findings suggested a significant link between paternal parenting style as perceived by preadolescents and preadolescents' empathy and global self-esteem. The participating pupils tended to perceive their fathers as predominantly supportive, whereas perceptions of self and empathy were quite high. Finally, preadolescents' perception of their father's parenting style was a significant factor in predicting preadolescents' global self-esteem and empathic behavior. The present findings support previous evidence attesting to a link between parenting, father-child communication, and aspects of child psychosocial development.