Module: Child and Adolescent Development

Week 9. Parenting Styles and Their Impact

Topics 1: Overview of Baumrind’s parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian,
permissive, and neglectful.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
 describe and differentiate Baumrind’s four parenting styles, highlighting their
defining characteristics and typical behavioral practices.

Activity:
Determine the kind of parenting style depicted in the image.

1. 3.

2. 4.

Analysis:
Answer the following questions by emulating the parenting style of your parents.

1. How would you describe your parent's overall approach to parenting? What were
their core values and beliefs when it comes to raising you?
2. Looking back, what are some of the most significant ways your parent's parenting
shaped you?
3. Do you think your parent's parenting style was consistent throughout your
childhood, or did it change significantly over time? If so, how?
4. How did your parent typically handle discipline? What methods did they use, and
how effective do you think they were?
5. What are some of your fondest memories of your childhood, and how did your
parent's parenting contribute to those memories?
Abstraction:
Diana Baumrind, was a prominent psychologist known for her influential research
on parenting styles. Her work focused on understanding the impact of different parenting
approaches on child development. She identified three initial parenting styles in the 1960s:
authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. Later, in the 1980s, researchers Eleanor Maccoby
and John Martin added a fourth style, neglectful.

Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parenting balance’s structure and independence. These parents set clear
standards and expectations while providing an emotionally supportive environment that
fosters trust. They are assertive but not intrusive or restrictive, and their disciplinary methods
are supportive rather than punitive. This style, often described as "tough but fair" or "firm but
nurturing," allows children the freedom to make mistakes within a structure that provides
guidance.

Behavioral practices: Authoritative parents administer fair and consistent discipline when
rules are broken, encourage children to discuss options, express warmth and nurturing, and
foster independence and reasoning. They also listen to their children and place limits,
consequences, and expectations on their behavior.

Developmental outcomes: This style promotes greater competence and self-confidence in

children. It helps children gain self-assurance, handle responsibility, overcome difficulties,
and become confident in their own judgment. Children raised with authoritative parenting
tend to be more capable, happy, and successful. They develop good social skills, have good
emotional control and regulation, and tend to have happier dispositions. Moreover, research
suggests that authoritative parenting is associated with better creativity, life satisfaction,
problem-solving abilities, self-esteem, emotional regulation, self-reliance, and relationships.

Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parenting is characterized by high expectations and low support. These

parents expect obedience without explanation and provide a well-ordered, structured
environment with clearly stated rules. They are often described as dictatorial and overbearing,
responding to any question with, "Because I said so!". Punishments for violating rules are
severe, and affection is given sparingly, if at all.

Behavioral practices: Authoritarian parents are strict and unsupportive, focusing on

punishing mistakes and harshly enforcing rules. They expect children to follow rules without
question and often do not provide reasons for their orders.

Developmental outcomes: Children raised in authoritarian environments are more likely to

be obedient and proficient but score lower in happiness, social competence, and self-esteem.
They may develop a "follower" mentality, have difficulty discerning right from wrong on
their own, and seek confirmation of their worth from outside authority figures. They tend to
perform moderately well in school and be uninvolved in problem behavior but have poorer
social skills, lower self-esteem, and higher levels of depression compared to peers raised with
an authoritative approach. They may also exhibit aggression, shyness, social ineptitude, and
difficulty making their own decisions.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting, also known as indulgent parenting, is high in support but low in
demandingness. These parents are lenient, do not expect their children to adhere to
boundaries or rules, and avoid confrontation. They often try to act more as a peer or friend to
their child, giving in to their wants almost immediately.

Behavioral practices: Permissive parents are nurturing and loving but provide few
guidelines and rules. They ask their children's opinions on major decisions, emphasize their
children's freedom rather than responsibility, and rarely enforce consequences.

Developmental outcomes: Children raised with permissive parenting tend to rank low in
happiness and self-regulation and are more likely to have problems with authority. They may
develop poor emotional control, be overly rebellious and defiant, give up when faced with
challenges, and engage in harmful antisocial behavior, like drug and alcohol abuse. They may
also lack self-discipline, have poor social skills, become self-involved and demanding, and
feel insecure due to the lack of boundaries and guidance. However, permissive parenting may
also result in good self-esteem and social well-being.

Neglectful Parenting

Neglectful parenting, also called uninvolved parenting, is low in both support and
demandingness. These parents do not interact much with their children, provide no rules or
structure, and offer little affection. Children are left largely to fend for themselves.

Behavioral practices: Neglectful parents don't converse or interact with their children much,
don't attend their children's activities or events, and don't strive for any kind of emotional
connection. They let their kids mostly fend for themselves, perhaps because they are
overwhelmed.

Developmental outcomes: Children reared by neglectful parents tend to rank lowest across
all life domains, lack self-control, have low self-esteem, and are less competent than their
peers. They may become depressed, struggle to form close relationships, have failed
relationships, lash out through delinquent or hostile behavior, or cut themselves off from
others. This style can lead to attachment difficulties because the bond between child and
parent is fleeting. Children of uninvolved parents often demonstrate resilience and may be
more self-sufficient, but these skills are typically developed out of necessity. Additionally,
they may struggle with emotional regulation, exhibit less effective coping strategies, face
academic challenges, and have difficulty maintaining or nurturing social relationships.
Application:

1. Compare and contrast the four parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian,

permissive, and neglectful) described in the text. Analyze the behavioral practices
associated with each style and discuss the developmental outcomes for children raised
under each approach. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of each style and discuss
which style you believe is most effective in raising well-adjusted, successful children,
supporting your answer with evidence from the text.
2. Discuss how cultural and societal factors might influence the adoption and
effectiveness of different parenting styles. Consider how socioeconomic status,
cultural values, and historical context might shape parental choices and their impact
on children's development. Analyze how the ideal parenting style might differ across
cultures and how researchers might need to adjust their understanding of parenting
styles to account for these variations.

References:

Jessup. (2019). The Psychology Behind Different Types of Parenting Styles.

[Link]
parenting-styles/

Diana Lang and Marissa L. Diener. (2020). Baumrind’s Parenting Styles – Parenting and
Family Diversity Issues.
[Link]

editorial process. (2023). Authoritative Parenting: Characteristics and Effects - Verywell

Mind. [Link]

Parenting Styles: A Closer Look at a Well-Known Concept - PMC. (2018).

[Link]

Baumrind Parenting Styles: What to Know - The Bump. (2024).

[Link]

Michael Vallejo, LCSW. (2024). Authoritative Parenting Style: Characteristics, Impact, and
Examples. [Link]
Module: Child and Adolescent Development

Week 9. Parenting Styles and Their Impact

Topics 2: Effects of parenting on child and adolescent development.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
 analyze how various parenting styles influence the physical, emotional,
cognitive, and social development of children and adolescents, providing
examples of both positive and negative outcomes.

Activity:
True or False
1. Harsh parenting is associated with better physical health outcomes in adolescents.
2. Authoritative parenting is linked to higher levels of anxiety and lower self-reliance in
children.
3. Supportive parenting styles are positively correlated with children's emotional well-
being.
4. Permissive parenting consistently leads to higher levels of physical activity in
children, regardless of gender.
5. Children of uninvolved parents always struggle with emotional regulation and social
relationships.

Analysis:
Analize the case study and answer the following questions.

Sarah is a 16-year-old who consistently arrives late to school, disregards deadlines for
assignments, and frequently argues with teachers and peers. While she displays high
intelligence, her academic performance is inconsistent, and she often expresses feelings of
frustration and inadequacy. Her parents describe themselves as "very loving and
supportive," often giving in to Sarah's requests to avoid conflict. They believe setting strict
rules would damage their relationship with her.

1. Identify the parenting style most likely being employed by Sarah's parents. Justify
your answer using specific examples from the case study and the characteristics of
the different parenting styles.
 2. What are the potential long-term consequences of this parenting style for Sarah's
academic success, social-emotional development, and overall well-being?

3. Suggest three strategies Sarah's parents could adopt to improve their parenting
approach and foster Sarah's positive development.

Abstraction:
Parenting styles significantly impact children's development, influencing their
physical activity levels and emotional well-being, as well as their cognitive skills and social
interactions.
Physical Development:
Positive
 Permissive parenting can lead to higher levels of physical activity in children,
but these associations may vary based on gender and type of activity. For
example, girls with permissive mothers showed higher moderate-to-vigorous
physical activity (MVPA), while boys with permissive mothers had a greater
volume of physical activity.
 Positive parenting may improve physical health, while negative ones are likely
to have adverse effects, especially among female students.
Negative
 Harsh parenting, on the other hand, may contribute to physical health
problems such as obesity in young adulthood.
 Harsh parenting is predictive of declines in adolescent self-reported physical
health and increases in adolescent body mass index (BMI).

Emotional Development:
 Supportive parenting styles (warmth, structure, autonomy support) positively
influence basic psychological needs satisfaction, which leads to higher emotional
well-being.
 Thwarting parenting styles (rejection, chaos, coercion) are associated with emotional
ill-being, mediated by basic psychological needs frustration.
 Authoritarian parenting can lead to increased anxiety, lower self-reliance, and reduced
intrinsic motivation in children. It may also result in children who are well-behaved
but struggle with decision-making and have difficulties managing anger.
 Authoritative parenting fosters confidence, responsibility, and self-regulation, leading
to improved social outcomes and emotional well-being.
  Permissive parenting can result in children who rank low in happiness and self-
regulation and may be impulsive and demanding.
 Uninvolved parenting may lead to resilience and self-sufficiency out of necessity but
can also result in difficulties with emotional regulation and social relationships.
 Critical parenting styles can increase the risk of psychological problems such as
depression in adolescents.

Cognitive Development:

 Authoritative parenting is positively correlated with children's abilities in prospective

memory, episodic foresight, planning, delay of gratification, and overall future-
oriented cognition.
 Authoritarian parenting is negatively correlated with planning, delay of gratification,
and future-oriented cognition.
 Supportive parenting is expected to positively influence basic psychological needs
satisfaction, which results in higher emotional well-being.
 An authoritative approach is shown to promote independent thinking, decision-
making skills, and effective emotional management.

Social Development:
 Democratic parenting styles are linked to high positive affects and social skills, while
permissive styles may result in high negative affects, emotional support, and social
skills.
 Authoritative parenting benefits the development of prosocial behavior by fostering
empathy and moral reasoning skills.
 Children of uninvolved parents often demonstrate resilience and may be more self-
sufficient than those raised in other parenting styles, but these skills are typically
developed out of necessity.
 Children raised under authoritarian parenting tend to experience social impairments,
lack social initiative, and have difficulty expressing themselves in social situations.
 The most common parental style is democratic. By gender, permissive styles were
more often applied to women and authoritative styles to men.
 Neglectful parenting styles lead to low scores in positive effects and all variables
related to social skills, which confirm negative effect in the socialization of children,
well-being, self-esteem, autonomy and social skills.
In summary, parenting styles exert a profound influence on various facets of child and
adolescent development, impacting their physical activity, emotional well-being, cognitive
abilities, and social skills.
While authoritative parenting is generally linked to positive outcomes, the effects of other
styles can vary depending on cultural context and individual circumstances.
Understanding these dynamics is crucial for promoting healthy development and well-being
in children and adolescent.

Application:
1. Analyze the multifaceted effects of different parenting styles on children's
development, considering both the positive and negative consequences across
physical, emotional, cognitive, and social domains. Support your analysis with
specific examples from the provided text and discuss the complexities and nuances of
these relationships.

2. To what extent does the provided text support or challenge the notion that a single
"best" parenting style exists? Discuss the limitations of generalizing about parenting
styles and consider the influence of factors such as gender, cultural context, and
individual child characteristics on the effectiveness of different approaches. Use
specific examples from the text to illustrate your argument.
Reference:
Parenting styles, parenting practices, and physical activity in 10. (2011).
[Link]
Terrence Sanvictores. (2022). Types of Parenting Styles and Effects on Children - StatPearls -
NCBI. [Link]
editorial process. (2024). Why Parenting Styles Matter When Raising Children - Verywell
Mind. [Link]
Randy Dotinga, Healthday Reporter. (2016). Harsh parenting may harm a child’s physical
health - Medical Xpress. [Link]
[Link]
Effects of different parenting styles on the physical health of Chinese ... (2024).
[Link]
[PDF] Parenting style and children emotion management skills ... - Frontiers. (2023).
[Link]