The Importance of Parenting in the Development of Self-Control in Boys and Girls: Results from a Multinational Study of Youth

Using self-report data from a cross-national study of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders (N=67, 883) in 30 countries, this study assesses the cultural generality of self-control theory and its predictions linking parenting to self-control. We focus on the relationship between gender and self-control, assess the contribution of various parenting strategies to the development of self-control in males and females, and gauge the importance of parenting as an explanation for the established gender gap in self-control.