Examination of Effective Parenting within the Framework of Domains-of-Socialization Approach: A Qualitative Study in a Turkish Sample

Abstract

According to the domain-specific socialization approach, socialization occurs across five different domains -protection, reciprocity, control, guided learning, and group participation - each emerging in response to evolutionary needs and characterized by distinct goals, mechanisms, and outcomes. This study aims to examine how Turkish mothers of children aged 3 to 6 interact with their children across these five socialization domains. To achieve this, mothers participated in the Domain-Specific Parenting Interview (DSPI), a semi-structured interview designed to assess parenting practices in response to their children's needs across different socialization domains. During the interviews, mothers were asked to provide real-life examples and elaborate on their experiences, parenting approaches, emotions, motivations, their children's reactions, and the perceived impact of these interactions. The collected data were analyzed using deductive content analysis, identifying how parenting practices were structured in each domain, their goals, and the potential consequences of these practices. Findings indicate that parent-child interactions differ across socialization domains, and parents use various strategies to transmit social values, emotional regulation strategies, and cultural norms to their children. Furthermore, while parenting practices largely aligned with the core principles of the domain-specific socialization approach, some unexpected tendenciese merged. In conclusion, this study provides comprehensive insights into the real-life applications of the domain-specific socialization approach and highlights how parent-child interactions are shaped by contextual variables.