Parenting Characteristics in Native American Families

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine family characteristics and parenting styles in a Native American population. Families in this study reported a range of parenting practices. In some ways, their reports closely resembled those in previous literature on characteristics of Native American parenting. However, unlike some previous studies, parents also placed high emphasis on formal education for their children, and indicated that they believed that formal education did not interfere with traditional beliefs. Few families scored in the range indicating highest identification with or highest emphasis on traditional values. Most scored in the mid-range, reflecting identification with both traditional and mainstream values. In examining scores on standardized measures of parenting and child behavior, a wide range of scores was found. Mean scores and standard deviations were comparable to those reported in primarily Caucasian samples.