Developmental milestone expectations, parenting styles and self construal in Malaysian and Australian caregivers

The study examined the developmental milestone expectations, parenting style, self construal of Malaysian and Anglo-Australian caregivers. Malaysian and Anglo-Australiancaregivers completed the respective questionnaires. Malaysian caregivers scored significantlyhigher on interdependent self-construal and authoritarian parenting style than Anglo-Australian caregivers. In terms of developmental milestones, Malaysian caregivers expectedlater age of attainment than Anglo-Australians in three of the six developmental domains;compliance, peer interaction and verbal skills. For the individual competencies, Malaysianshad later age expectancies than the Anglo-Australians for 19 out of the 45 competencies. TheMalaysians had earlier expectations than the Anglo-Australians on five of the competencies.These results are congruent with the values associated with individualist cultures wherebyhigh value is placed on independence and autonomy and early mastery of developmentalmilestones.