Inter Relationship between Parental Use of Positive Values and Strong Family Bonds

The present study was an attempt to explore the inter relationship between type of values parents have and its impact on their relationship with teenaged sons and daughters. Families for the present study were purposively selected from four zones of Ludhtana city. These families were nuclear families from middle and upper-middle class where both parents were at least graduate and were working and had one teenaged son and teenaged daughter between 13-19 years of age. The target sample in each family was father, mother, son and daughter. Thus, the present study was based upon a total sample size of 400 respondents (100 of each fathers, mothers, sons&daughters). A self constructed socio-demographic questionnaire was used to identify families that fulfilled the inclusion criteria set for the present study. Socio-Economic Scale (Bhardwaj, 2001) was used to identify families with middle and upper middle socio-economic status. Relationship of teenage sons and daughters with their parents was assessed by using Parent Child Relationship Scale by Sharma and Chuahan (2002). The results of the study revealed that parents who gave value to love, empathy, cooperativeness, tolerance, flexibility, commitment, scientific thinking, mutual understanding and showed expression of fondness and devoted attachment towards their children, were perceived as better parents by their sons and daughters. Parents' positive attitude towards children, emotional stability consistency in their thoughts and actions presented them as sufficiently effective and inspiring models for their children to follow.