| Sumario: | This article presents a study in which the differences between certain ethnic groups and between social classes are investigated with regard to the degree of independence from parental control granted the adolescent. Members of Southern Italian and Eastern European Jewish ethnic groups in New Haven, Connecticut were selected for study. These groups were similar in their time of arrival and place of settlement in this country but had different cultural backgrounds. Differences could reasonably be attributed to ethnicity only if the groups compared had an approximately equal time in which to become acculturated and assimilated. When social class was controlled, no significant differences between the scores of Italian and Jewish adolescents on any of the dimensions of independence were observed. When social classes were compared, adding other ethnic groups to the comparison, significant differences were observed for three of the four dimensions of independence. Lower class families appear to be more permissive as evidenced by the adolescents' higher scores on permissiveness in outside activities and permissiveness in age-related activities. Adolescents in the middle classes score higher on parental regard for judgment but are nevertheless carefully supervised in other activities.
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