PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONSTRUCTIVE PARENTING STRATEGY

Abstract

The article analyzes the concept of psychological readiness and distinguishes the types of readiness, reveals the features and stages of psychological readiness for parenthood. It has been established that readiness for parenthood presupposes the formation of a constructive strategy of parental behavior, the beginning of which begins in preschool childhood, accompanies the development of the personality in elementary school, adolescence and young adulthood, and the implementation of which in adulthood is initiated by readiness for parenthood. The psychological content of the term “strategies” and “parenting strategies” has been clarified and supplemented. On the basis of theoretical analysis of existing theoretical models and empirical studies of various aspects of parenthood, internal (intrapsychic) aspects are highlighted in the structure of the parenting strategy, namely: acceptance of the gender role of the father and value characteristics, as a necessary condition for the formation of the father’s internal position (a value-semantic and partially emotional block in the structure of parenthood, the cognitive and motivational component of parenthood), external (extrapsychic), manifested in the interaction of the wife and the child and in the external operational characteristics of parenthood – parental practices and behavior (partially the operational block in the structure of parenthood, the behavioral level of parents). It was found that the axiological component of the parenting strategy determines a set of interconnected intrapsychic characteristics (acceptance of the father’s gender role and value characteristics). The reflexive-regulatory component of the parenting strategy is determined by interpsychic characteristics, which include reflection and self-regulation. The praxeological component of the parenting strategy is determined by the extrapsychic characteristics manifested in the interaction of the wife and in parental practices. It has been proven that the constructiveness of strategies is interconnected with acceptance of one’s gender role, responsibility and value of parenthood, with personality maturity, developed self-regulation and reflection, which are realized in positive parenting practices. The article shows that unconstructive parenting strategies are determined by the lack of gender identity, rejection of one’s gender role, rejection of the parental role, lack of parenting value, personal immaturity, weak responsibility, lack of value attitude towards the child.