PARENTAL ACCEPTANCE-REJECTION AND MORAL DISENGAGEMENT: MODERATING ROLE OF LOCUS OF CONTROL IN YOUNG ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

The present study investigated the relationship between parental acceptancerejection/control, locus of control and moral disengagement among adolescents. It was hypothesized that there would to be positive relationship between parental acceptance rejection, locus of control and moral disengagement among adolescents. In addition, locus of control would moderate the relationship between parental acceptance rejection and moral disengagement of the adolescents. Using convenient sampling technique 188 students of 9th -12th grades studying in public schools and colleges of Lahore were taken with an age range of 13 to 18 years (M= 14.89, S.D=1.29). Urdu versions of Parental Acceptance Rejection Questionnaire/Control (Rohner, 2004), Locus of Control Scale (Mueller & Thomas, 2000) and Moral Disengagement Scale (Bandura et al., 1996) were used. Results of correlation analysis indicated that children who perceived their mothers’ rejecting /controlling were less morally disengaged and had external locus of control. The
results of moderation through regression analysis indicated that locus of control moderated the relationship between the mother’s acceptance-rejection/control and moral disengagement. However, there was non-significant correlation between father’s acceptance- rejection/control and moral disengagement. Locus of control did not moderate the relationship between the father’s acceptance-rejection/control and moral disengagement. In addition, there were significant gender differences in fathers’ acceptance-rejection/ control. The results of the study were discussed in Pakistani socio-cultural context.