Journal of Education & Social Policy Vol. 1 No.

1; June 2014

Impact of Parenting Styles on Career Choices of Adolescents

B. Swaroopa Rani
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Home Science S. V. University
Tirupathi
Chittoor Dist. Andhra Pradesh

Abstract
Parenting as the style of child upbringing refers to a privilege or responsibility of parents together or
independently to prepare the child to become an acceptance. Parents play a key role in career development of
adolescents. There are three types of parenting styles whereas Authoritative parenting style, parents set
standards, promote independence and provide a warm family climate, which results in self confidence,
persistence, social competence, academic success and psychological development which in turn leads to more
active career exploration and greater career satisfaction. In Authoritarian parenting style parents set standards
and choose career for their children irrespective of children’s interest. It leads child become dependent and child
will not get work satisfaction. Whereas Permissive parenting style parents will give much freedom and they will
not involve in their child’s career plan. Which is not good practice and children may get troubles in choosing
careers. It is important to remember that career development is lifelong process and factors that affected those
early decisions, continue to have an influence through the entire life of the child. With a little planning, effort
parents who acknowledge the immense influence they can have on their child’s future.
Family is a place in which children learn to interpret reality (Way and Rossmann 1996b). Parents serve as
significant interpreters for children of information about the world and children's abilities (Hall, Kelly, Hansen,
and Gutwein 1996). Overall family functioning, a broader concept that encompasses parenting style, includes
such factors as parental support and guidance, positive or negative environmental influences and family members'
interaction styles (Altman 1997). Family functioning has a greater influence on career development than either
family structure (size, birth order, number of parents) or parents' educational and occupational status (Fisher and
Griggs 1994; Trusty, Watts, and Erdman 1997).
The teenage years are often portrayed as stressful for both parents and teens. Research demonstrates that teens
undergo a number of developmental adjustments including biological, cognitive, emotional and social changes on
their way to becoming adults. Parenting effectively during the teen years, as in any developmental period, requires
a thorough understanding of these normative developmental changes. Parents can benefit from an understanding
that how the parent or their parenting style provides a basis for many healthy developmental outcomes during
adolescence. Understanding the different parenting styles and their impact on the parent-teen relationship may
help parents— and their teens—navigate adolescence more smoothly.
Identity development during adolescence is affected by changes in adolescents' self-concepts and self-esteem.
Unlike children and adolescents are able to differentiate their view of themselves from others' perspectives
(Feldman, 2000).
The Role of Parenting Styles
Roe, an early theorist, proposed that early childhood experiences play an indirect role in shaping later career
behavior of children (Brown, Lum, and Voyle 1997). She suggested that parent-child relationships influence
personality orientations and the development of psychological needs; vocational interests and choices are some of
the ways in which individuals try to satisfy those needs.
Parental support and guidance can include specific career or educational suggestions as well as experiences that
indirectly support career development, such as family vacations, provision of resources such as books, and
modeling of paid and nonpaid work roles (Altman 1997). The absence of support, guidance, and encouragement
can lead to "floundering," the inability to develop and pursue a specific career focus.
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Lack of support can also take the form of conflict, when a parent pressures a child toward a particular career and
may withdraw financial and emotional support for a career path not of the parent's choosing
Despite these challenges, researchers have uncovered convincing links between parenting styles and the effects
these styles have on children. During the early 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study on more
than 100 preschool-age children (Baumrind, 1967). Using naturalistic observation, parental interviews and
other research methods, she identified four important dimensions of parenting:
 Disciplinary strategies
 Warmth and nurturance
 Communication styles
 Expectations of maturity and control
Based on these dimensions, Baumrind suggested that the majority of parents display one of three different
parenting styles. (Maccoby & Martin, 1983).
1. Authoritarian parenting style In this style of parenting, children are expected to follow the strict rules
established by the parents. Failure to follow such rules usually results in punishment. Authoritarian parents fail
to explain the reasoning behind these rules. If asked to explain, the parents might simply reply, "Because I said
so." These parents have high demands, but are not responsive to their children. According to Baumrind, these
parents "are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation" (1991).
2. Authoritative parenting style Like authoritarian parents, those with an authoritative parenting style establish
rules and guidelines that their children are expected to follow. However, this parenting style is much more
democratic. Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen the questions. When
children fail to meet the expectations, these parents is more nurturing and forgiving rather than punishing.
Baumrind suggests that these parents "monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. They
are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather than punitive.
They want their children to be assertive as well as socially responsible and self-regulated as well as
cooperative" (1991).
3. Permissive parenting style Permissive parents, sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, have very few
demands to make of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively
low expectations of maturity and self-control. According to Baumrind, permissive parents "are more
responsive than they are demanding. They are nontraditional and lenient, do not require mature behavior, allow
considerable self-regulation, and avoid confrontation" (1991). Permissive parents are generally nurturing and
communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than that of a parent.
Previous Review
Baumrind, in 1991, reported that parents who are authoritative were more successful than authoritarian
parents,especially in helping their adolescents to avoid problems associated with drugs. Also, consistent
utilization of external reinforcements and too much focus on conformity to authority decrease adolescents’
awareness of competence, self-sufficiency and inner enthusiasm to achieve.
Pellerin (2005) in a study applied Baumrind’s authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting to high
schools as socializing negotiators. The findings of this study showed that school styles produced the same results
as parenting styles.
In another research carried out by Darling, McCartney, & Taylor (2006), a significant relationship was found
between parenting styles and depression. This study indicated that children of Authoritarian parents have more
depression compared to children of the uninvolved ones.
Furthermore, Odubote (2008) reported that authoritarian parenting style is highly correlated with delinquency
behavior, adding that the authoritative parenting style has been associated with positive outcomes. In contrast
permissive and authoritarian parenting style has been associated with delinquency.
Williams et al. (2009) claimed that high authoritative parenting was associated with fewer tendencies in
internalizing symptoms of children. On the other hand, Wu (2009) demonstrated that mother’s permissive
parenting style is associated with anti-social behavior among their children.

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Palmer (2009) found that authoritative parenting was positively correlated with children’s adjustment, and
authoritarian parenting was negatively correlated with children’s adjustment. In addition, it was reported that
parental self-control skills were positively correlated with authoritative parenting.
Fletcher, Walls, Cook, Madison, & Bridges (2008) however reported that a mother’s authoritative parenting style
had a negative relation with internalizing symptoms. Furthermore,
The Impact of Parenting Styles on Adolescents
 Authoritarian parenting styles generally lead to children who are obedient and proficient, but they rank lower
in happiness, social competence and self-esteem.
 Authoritative parenting styles tend to result in children who are happy, capable and successful to more active
career exploration and greater career satisfaction (Maccoby, 1992).
 Permissive parenting often results in children who rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These children
are more likely to experience problems with authority and tend to perform poorly in school.
 In the early years hundreds of studies were conducted in trying to understand the different factors that
influence a young adult’s choice of a career. While confirming the influence of other personal and
environmental factors, such as, personality, school, role of peers and teachers on career aspirations,
researchers unanimously proved that a large number of variables influencing students’ occupational goals
were linked to their family environment. These include: level of parental education, family size, employment
and socioeconomic variables like parental income. In addition, the majority of papers published on this
subject consistently ranked parents as the most important and influential individuals regarding career
decisions, as compared to teachers, peers, counselors and others.
As the role of the family in career development became more evident, research moved from examining simple
family demographics and their relationships to career development to understanding the dynamics of family
interactions. These newer studies uncovered some important and interesting facts:
 It was consistently found that adolescents’ own aspirations are influenced by their parents’ aspirations or
expectations of them. Adolescents who perceive their parents to have high educational expectations of them
are likely to have higher aspirations for them.
 Parental support and encouragement were found to influence vocational outcome. Through interactions, such
as, conversations and through verbal and non-verbal reactions, parents conveyed their influence to their
children, which in turn affected what children thought, said and perceived about various careers. This
eventually affected the children’s attitudes and behaviors towards work.
 Parenting style, support, responsiveness and guidance may even have more influence than family
demographics. This proves how children from impoverished, low educational and disadvantaged
socioeconomic backgrounds can have great academic achievements and proceed to more fulfilling and
prosperous careers. This fact strongly encourages open engagement and involvement of parents in their
children’s academic pursuits.
 An authoritative parenting style (a demanding and responsive child-rearing style which includes a high level of
parental involvement, high expectations and standards, adequate support, guidance and encouragement) was
found to be associated with better career choices as it balances clear, high expectations with emotional support
and recognition of an adolescent’s autonomy. Authoritative parents set standards, promote independence and
provide a warm family climate, which results in self-confidence, persistence, social competence, academic
success and psychosocial development. This in turn leads to more active career exploration on the part of
children and greater career satisfaction.
Conclusion
Although initial career choices are often made in the teenage years, it is important to remember that career
development is a lifelong process and the family factors that affected those early decisions continue to have an
influence through the entire life of the child. With a little planning and effort, parents who acknowledge the
immense influence they can have on their children’s future can use their roles to the advantage of the entire
family.

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Why Do Parenting Styles Differ?

After learning about the impact of parenting styles on child development, you may wonder why all parents simply
don't utilize an authoritative parenting style. After all, this parenting style is the most likely to produce happy,
confident and capable children. What are some reasons why parenting styles might vary? Some potential causes
of these differences include culture, personality, family size, parental background, socioeconomic status,
educational level and religion. Of course the parenting styles of individual parents also combine to create a unique
blend in each and every family. For example, the mother may display an authoritative style while the father favors
a more permissive approach. In order to create a cohesive approach to parenting, it is essential that parents learn
to cooperate as they combine various elements of their unique parenting styles.
Implications of the Study
This study may help to parents to know about their children. It will show the effect of disciplinary practice
adopted by parents and child outcome. Through this research parents may decide which type of disciplinary
practice is will be suitable for their personality.

References
Achenbach, T.M., & McConaughy, S.H. (1996). Empirically based Assessment of Child and
AdolescentPsychopathology. Practical application. Development clinical psychology and psychiatry, 13.
Baumrind, D. (1991). Effective parenting during the early adolescent transition. In P. A. Cowan & E.
[Link] (Eds.) Family transitions. Advances in family research series. Hillsdale, NJ, England:
LawrenceErlbaum Associates, Inc.
Brar, Sh. (2003). Child temperament, parenting style and externalizing and internalizing behavior of
youngchildren of Indian immigrants in Canada. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts).
[Online]Available: [Link]
Buri, J. R. (1991). Parental Authority Questioner. Department of Psychology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul,
MN 55105, USA.
Cartwright-Hatton, S. McNally, D., White, C., & Verduyn C. (2005). parent skill training: An effective
intervention for internalizing symptom in younger children. Journal of child and adolescent Psychiatric
Nursing, 7, 128-139.
Darling, E., McCartney, K., & Taylor, B.A. (2006). Within-child associations between family income and
externalizing and internalizing problems. Developmental Psychology, 42, 237-252.
Fletcher, A.C., Walls J.K., Cook, E. C., Madison, K. J., & Bridges, T. H. (2008). Parenting style as a moderatorof
associations between Maternal disciplinary strategies and child well-being. Journal of family issues, 29, 12.
Harper, S. E. (2010). Exploring the role of Filipino fathers: parental behavior and child outcomes. Journal of
family issues, 3 (1), 66-89.
Minaei, A. (2006). The manual of CBSL test according of Achenbach experience (ASEBA). Research on
Dr. Nazima Dharsee(2009) courtesy of Knowledge Magazine Exceptional Children, 19, 1, 529-558.
Palmer, C. D. (2009). Parenting style and self control skills. (Doctoral dissertation. University of Hawaii).
[Online] Available: [Link]
Pellerin, L. A. (2005). Applying Baumrind's Parenting Typology to High Schools: Towards a Middle-
rangeTheory of Authoritative Socialization. Social Science Research, 34: 283-303.
[Link]
Phares, V. (2003). Understanding abnormal child psychology. USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Sommer, K.L. (2007). The relationship between parenting style, parental reading involvement, child
behavioroutcomes, child classroom competence and early childhood literacy. (Master thesis, University of
Oklahoma state).
[Online] Available: [Link]
Williams, L. R., Degnan, K. A., Perez- Edgar, K. E., Henderson, H. A., Kenneth, R. H., Pine, D. S., Steinberg,
L.,& Nathan, A.F. (2009). Impact of behavioral inhibition and parenting style on internalizing and
externalizing [Link]
Wu, M. (2009). The relationship between parenting styles, career decision self-efficacy, and career maturity of
Asian American college students. (Doctoral dissertation. University of Southern California). [Online]
Available: [Link]
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ABSTRACT

Parenting style plays a crucial role in shaping children’s psychological, social, and career-related outcomes.
Parents significantly influence adolescents’ career development through their expectations, guidance, and
emotional climate. Among the three major parenting styles—authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive—
authoritative parenting has been consistently associated with positive developmental outcomes such as self-
confidence, persistence, social competence, academic success, and psychological well-being. These qualities
promote active career exploration and greater career satisfaction in adulthood. In contrast, authoritarian
parenting involves strict control and career decision-making by parents, often neglecting the child’s interests,
leading to dependency and reduced job satisfaction. Permissive parenting, characterized by excessive freedom
and minimal parental involvement, may result in confusion and difficulty in career decision-making. Career
development is a lifelong process, and early parental influences continue to shape career trajectories throughout
life (Way & Rossmann, 1996b; Baumrind, 1991).

1. INTRODUCTION TO PARENTING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Parenting refers to the manner in which parents raise their children, either jointly or independently, to prepare
them for adulthood. Parents serve as primary agents in shaping adolescents’ career development by interpreting
reality, providing guidance, and modeling behaviors related to work and achievement (Way & Rossmann,
1996b; Hall et al., 1996). Research suggests that family functioning has a stronger influence on career
development than family structure or parental socioeconomic status (Fisher & Griggs, 1994; Trusty et al.,
1997).

2. FAMILY FUNCTIONING AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

Family functioning encompasses parental support, guidance, interaction patterns, and environmental influences
(Altman, 1997). Adolescence is marked by significant biological, cognitive, emotional, and social changes,
making effective parenting particularly important during this stage. Parenting style forms the foundation for
many healthy developmental outcomes, including identity formation and self-esteem, which are critical for
career decision-making (Feldman, 2000).

3. THE ROLE OF PARENTING STYLES IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Early theorists such as Roe proposed that early childhood experiences indirectly shape later career behavior
through personality development and psychological needs (Brown, Lum, & Voyle, 1997). Parents influence
vocational choices through both direct guidance and indirect support, such as exposure to resources, modeling
work roles, and encouraging exploration (Altman, 1997). A lack of parental support may result in confusion and
difficulty in establishing career goals.

4. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK: BAUMRIND’S PARENTING STYLES

Baumrind’s research identified four core dimensions of parenting:

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 Disciplinary strategies
 Warmth and nurturance
 Communication styles
 Expectations of maturity and control

Based on these dimensions, three primary parenting styles were identified (Baumrind, 1967; Maccoby &
Martin, 1983).

5. AUTHORITARIAN PARENTING STYLE

Authoritarian parenting is characterized by high demands and low responsiveness. Parents enforce strict rules
and expect obedience without explanation. Career decisions are often imposed by parents, disregarding the
child’s interests. This style has been associated with dependency, lower self-esteem, depression, delinquency,
and poor adjustment outcomes (Baumrind, 1991; Darling et al., 2006; Odubote, 2008).

6. AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING STYLE

Authoritative parenting balances high expectations with emotional warmth and responsiveness. Parents set clear
standards while encouraging independence and open communication. Disciplinary methods are supportive
rather than punitive. This parenting style promotes self-regulation, autonomy, confidence, and social
responsibility, leading to better psychological adjustment and more effective career exploration (Baumrind,
1991; Maccoby, 1992).

7. PERMISSIVE PARENTING STYLE

Permissive parents are highly responsive but place few demands on their children. They avoid confrontation and
allow considerable self-regulation. While nurturing, this lack of structure may result in low self-control, poor
academic performance, difficulty with authority, and challenges in making career decisions (Baumrind, 1991).

8. EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON PARENTING STYLES

Research consistently links authoritative parenting with positive developmental outcomes. Baumrind (1991)
found authoritative parents more successful in preventing adolescent problem behaviors. Pellerin (2005)
demonstrated that authoritative styles in schools yielded outcomes similar to those in families. Studies also
show that authoritative parenting is associated with lower depression, fewer internalizing symptoms, and better
adjustment (Williams et al., 2009; Palmer, 2009). In contrast, authoritarian and permissive styles have been
linked to delinquency and antisocial behavior (Odubote, 2008; Wu, 2009).

9. PARENTING STYLES AND CAREER DECISION-MAKING

Parental aspirations strongly influence adolescents’ career goals. Adolescents who perceive high parental
expectations tend to develop higher educational and occupational aspirations. Parenting style, support,
responsiveness, and guidance often outweigh demographic factors in determining career outcomes.
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Authoritative parenting fosters autonomy and confidence, resulting in better career choices and higher career
satisfaction.

10. WHY PARENTING STYLES DIFFER

Parenting styles vary due to cultural norms, personality traits, socioeconomic status, education, religion, and
family size. In many families, parents may adopt different styles, creating a blended parenting approach.
Cooperative parenting is essential to provide consistency and balance in child-rearing practices.

11. IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study highlights the importance of parenting styles in shaping adolescents’ career development.
Understanding the effects of different disciplinary practices can help parents adopt strategies that align with
their child’s personality and developmental needs. Promoting authoritative parenting may contribute to healthier
psychological development and more informed career decision-making.

12. CONCLUSION

Career development is a lifelong process influenced by early family experiences. Parenting styles, particularly
authoritative parenting, play a vital role in fostering autonomy, confidence, and career satisfaction. Parents who
recognize their influence can actively support their children’s long-term personal and professional development.

KEY REFERENCES (as cited in text)

Baumrind (1967, 1991)

Maccoby & Martin (1983)
Way & Rossmann (1996b)
Altman (1997)
Fisher & Griggs (1994)
Trusty et al. (1997)
Pellerin (2005)
Darling et al. (2006)
Odubote (2008)
Williams et al. (2009)
Palmer (2009)
Wu (2009)