Family socialization patterns were examined from the viewpoint of the child and the parent in terms of parental socialization practices, attitudes, and goals. Questionnaires were developed and used to collect data on the parents of about 1,300 families and the children (7-13 years old) of approximately 400 families in West Germany. Results of studies using the questionnaires showed that there is a very complex relationship between the parents' concept of the child's personality and the parents' self-perceived parental attitudes. Specific childrearing attitudes seem to be related to general personality characteristics of the parents. Child-perceived maternal attitudes appear to be more strongly related to the child's intelligence than child-perceived paternal attitudes. However, perceived paternal goals seem to be of higher value than perceived maternal goals in predicting the child's intelligence. Another study analyzed children's internal vs. external control orientation and its parental antecedents. Future research is anticipated which will examine parental socialization behavior and children's personalities, and intervention programs to change certain aspects of parental behavior are planned. (BRT)