Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege,
than the raising of the next generation.
C. Everett Koop
Chapter 2 Parenting Patterns and the Impact of Culture and Context
Parenting Styles
Parenting styles in the United States have been broken down through studies of childrearing to include six types of styles: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, traditional, indulgent, and indifferent. Each type of style is decided by the parent’s responsiveness and demandingness to their children. A parent’s type of parenting style affects not only a child’s behavior, but also their success in adolescence and adulthood. This article will focus on the four more known types of parenting styles: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive or indulgent, and uninvolved or indifferent.
Authoritative Parenting
Authoritative parenting is a style of parenting that is a balance between nurturing, discipline, and respect. One of the most aspects of this type of parenting style is that parents “recognize their children’s individual interests and unique personalities” and are able to “set standards for their children regarding expectations for future conduct” (Heath, 2009, p. 29 – 30). Authoritative parents do no expect absolute obedience, but rather take the time to explain what the reasons are for the required behavior.
Children of authoritative parents are more likely to be academically successful and have a high self-actualization. They have good social skills and tend to get a long with peers, siblings, their parents, and other adults. Children that are reared by authoritative parents are more likely to have a high “psychosocial maturity, reasoning ability, empathy, and altruism” (Heath, 2009, p. 30). They are also less likely than those raised by parents that used other parenting styles to have behavior problems.
Authoritarian Parenting
Authoritarian parenting style is one of unquestionable obedience from children. Parents that practice authoritarian parenting often use punishment (including physical punishment) and/or the threat of punishment to help keep their children in line. They also shame their children into obedience. “Authoritative parents discourage children from freely expressing their feelings” (Heath, 2009, p. 31). Children are expected to obey rules set out by the parents no matter what, even if the child feels the parents are wrong. Authoritative parenting also puts emphasizes on respecting parents and adults. Children are discouraged from voicing their opinions.
Children of authoritarian parents tend to be more passive and dependent. They are less self-assured, have impaired empathy, and usually have difficulty socializing with other children. These children usually do well in school, but are not as creating as their peers. They are more prone to depression later in life and are at risk of being involved in behavioral problems like substance abuse, crime, and delinquency.
Permissive/Indulgent
Permissive parenting shows a high level of parental support, but rarely have control and there are no demands from their children. Permissive parents have little to no control, organization, or effectiveness in their household. They are not consistent or have a routine for their children. They do not teach their children independence and often give their children little or no responsibility.
Indulgent parenting is similar to permissive parenting. They both have a lax parenting style. Indulgent has a high involvement and low demandingness. There are few expectations given and there is little to no limits set or consequences given.
These parenting styles view discipline and control as being potentially damaging to children.
Children of parents that use permissive and indulgent parenting styles usually have a high self-esteem, but have lower academic achievements. They are less independent, more immature and irresponsible. Follow peers and are not socially responsible. They are more likely to be involved in problem behaviors early on.
Uninvolved/Indifferent
Parents that practice indifferent or uninvolved parenting style are low responsive and low demanding of their children. Their children tend to fend for themselves. Sometimes these parents have rejected their child or just do not want to give energy that is required to care of them. They do not discipline or provide expectations of behavior and do not provide guidance. There is little love expressed and little to none concern shown. “Researchers have found that such parents tend to have life problems and stressors that limit their availability to their children” (Heath, 2009, p. 35).
Children of uninvolved parents perform poorly in school and other aspects of their life. They get in trouble at an early age and are usually noncompliant. They are more likely to show aggressive behavior and show antisocial behavioral problems. They have low self-esteem and have a high risk of depression. They are also more involved in risky behaviors, like substance abuse.
Parenting style relates to a child’s social and emotional well being. It has also been found to affect a child’s success in school and future relationships.
Dr. Richard Falzone describes the four parenting styles and some effects that each parenting style has on children. He also explains how it can follow the children through adolescence and adulthood. Parents, at times, may or may not have used each parenting style and it is important that they do not try to diagnose their own parenting style.
Heath, P. (2009). Parent-child relations: Context, research, and application. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.
Dr. Richard Falzone describes the four parenting styles and some effects that each parenting style has on children. He also explains how it can follow the children through adolescence and adulthood. Parents, at times, may or may not have used each parenting style and it is important that they do not try to diagnose their own parenting style.
There are many websites that talk about parenting styles and which one each parent should follow. I often times referred to an article by Dr. Nancy Darling - Parenting Style and Its Correlates
I selected this article because Dr. Darling does a good job explain that there is really not one specific behavior by parents that can cause behavioral problems, but that instead parenting is "a complex activity that includes many specific behaviors that work individually and together to influence child outcomes." It just reminded me that one mistake will not cause your child to have problems, but rather your overall, long-term parenting is what is going to affect your child.
Parenting styles and adolescents’ achievement strategies is an article by Kasia Aunola, Hakan Stattin, and Jari-Erik Nurmi. This article tackles how the family parenting styles can be associated with the strategies adolescents apply in achievement settings. This article was interesting because it was able to show a relationship between a adolescents’ parents’ parenting style and how they faired in the academic achievements. The study found that children from a family that practiced a permissive and an uninvolved parenting style used poor achievement strategies in school, although those from a permissive family did show self-enhancing attributes. Overall school achievement does provide a foundation for adolescents’ success in socialization into adulthood and the study believes there is a chance of long-term consequences.
Aunola, K., Stattin, H., & Nurmi, J.E., (2000). Parenting styles and adolescents’ achievement strategies. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 205-222.
