Professional perceptions of differences between the parenting styles and coping responses of fathers and mothers registered with the child protection system

Abstract

[eng] Families registered with the Child Protection System tend to have poor parenting methods, which, in turn, lead to inadequate ways of coping with stress. This makes them highly vulnerable families. These shortcomings tend to be more prevalent among fathers than mothers. By identifying these shortcomings and analysing them, specific strategies can be developed to overcome them. The aim of this paper is to analyse differences between the parenting styles and coping responses of mothers and fathers registered with the Child Protection System, as perceived by the professionals from the said service. A cross-sectional study was carried out based on the perceptions of professionals attached to the Child Protection System. The findings show that the professionals deem that there are significant differences between maternal and paternal parenting models and ways of coping with stress. The mothers were viewed as having more components of appropriate parenting, while the fathers tended to use physical punishment more often. As for coping methods, the professionals observed that the mothers have more previous experience of conflicts, they spend more time preparing to tackle a problem, and they have a greater sense of being able to take possible advantage of the situation. The results point to the need to reinforce and specialize in training strategies for parents. This is because co-parenting has a positive impact on child development and boosts family functioning.