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Parenting and Parenting Styles
Rubina Kauser, Email: [email protected] Omama Khalid, Email: [email protected]
Citation:
Kauser, R. and Khalid, O. (n.d.). Parenting and Parenting Styles. In A. H. Qamar (Ed.), Childhood Compendium. Retrieved from
https://www.childhoodreview.com/compendium/compendium.htm
Children learn several behaviors through socialization. Socialization is a never-ending process that starts from infancy and continues throughout the lifespan. Socialization occurs in two stages i.e. primary socialization and secondary socialization. Primary socialization is the process of growth and development of a child during the early years of life. People or groups work interconnectedly as agents of socialization and shape the social and emotional growth of a child in his/her socio-cultural context (Chandio and Ali, 2019; Pescaru, 2018). In this context, family is the most important and primary agent/institution of socialization, where parents are the gatekeepers and agents of primary socialization. Parenting, in this connection, is an ‘institutionalized’ process of raising the child.
Parenting is a purposive child-rearing activity (consisting of parenting behaviors) performed by the parent for promoting a child’s growth, development, and health. Parenting is an ongoing process of physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of children from infancy to adulthood. The terms parenting, parenting styles, and parenting practices, although, used interchangeably have different meanings. Parenting describes the process of rearing the children over the life span not exclusively by biological parents. On the other hand, parenting styles reflect that emotional climate or
www.childhoodreview.com communication patterns between parents and children. Whereas parenting practices are parent’s culture-specific behaviors, for example, in East Asian cultures mothers value discipline above all and hence practice more psychological control in households (Baumrind, 1971; Abraham, 2017; Doan et al, 2017). These purposive behaviors known as parenting practices vary according to the socio-cultural context.
Parenting is viewed as a complex activity consisting of unique parenting behaviors that are specific to guide a child’s particular behaviors. There are numerous factors found to be affecting parenting. Family income, social class, cultural values, and wealth tend to have a profound impact on the parenting practices (Kuhn, 2002). While there are many diverse parenting practices; it is difficult to predict or universalize a parenting practice that is taken as a standard for a child’s social and emotional development (Darling, 1999; Virasiri, Yunibhand, and Chaiyawat, 2011). For example, the family’s social class will determine what type of resources a child will have access to and the different opportunities that will be available to a child. Thus working-class families are often at risk of developing disadvantaged children with a lack of networking of helpful individuals (Doob, 2013; Spera, 2005). In many societies, cultural values significantly determine how the parents will rear their children. All the parents want the best for their children but the definition of “best” varies from culture to culture. Different social and cultural values determine which behavior will be valued in a particular cultural context. For example, in Dutch culture parents value independence, and asking too many questions is considered as a negative behavior and a sign of dependency, whereas in European American culture parents perceive child questioning as a sign of his or her intelligence (Day, 2013).
Numerous studies in developmental psychology found various dimensions of parenting acceptance, behavioral control, and psychological control. All these dimensions are related to various parenting variables, such as warmth/harshness, parenting involvement, and monitoring, discipline strategies, parenting styles, and practices. The impact of these parenting dimensions leads towards various outcomes in children, investigated in various studies. For example, parental acceptance leads to a low level of negative behavioral and emotional outcomes (Papp, Cummings, & Goeke-Morey, 2005). On the other hand, negative parenting causes maladjustment on the psychological and social levels in children and adolescents (Teicher, Samson, Polcari, & McGreenery, 2006).
The concept of parenting style has been extensively explored and researched in the literature concerning a child’s social and emotional development (Talib and Mamat, 2011; Joseph and John, 2008; Keller, 2008; Keller et al., 2004). Parenting styles are patterns of childrearing practices, parental values, and unique parenting behaviors. It is a parent-child interaction that ultimately has a significant contribution to the personality development of the child (Akhtar, 2012). The concept of parenting style was initially studied by Diana Baumrind and is largely used as a comprehensive model in literature. Parenting styles have been categorized based on parents’ demand and response. Hence, Baumrind developed four parenting styles named as permissive, neglectful, authoritative, and authoritarian type (Baumrind, 1991). These typologies were living part of parental behavior and attitude towards their children (Joshi, Sharma & Mehra, 2009).
Parenting styles can be defined as complex patterns of specific behaviors that individually and together operate to affect the child. These behaviors do not make sense
www.childhoodreview.com and could be misleading when examining separately such as spanking the child and reading aloud but it has developmental benefits for the children. Maccoby & Martin (1983) enlisted two important elements of parenting styles: parental responsiveness and parental demanding behavior. First refers to parental affection and supportiveness and second behavioral control parents have on their children. Four parenting styles permissive, authoritarian, authoritative, and uninvolved/neglectful type categorized parents on the extent of high or low responsiveness and demandingness (Maccoby & Martin, 1983).
Authoritative parents have both elements of both demandingness and responsiveness in their parenting style. Baumrind (1991) stated that such parents set a clear standard of conduct for their children. They promote assertiveness but are not restricted or intrusive. They promote discipline but not through punishment. They make their children assertive, but socially responsible, cooperative, and well-regulated individuals. Authoritarian parents demonstrate high behavioral control but are not responsive. They demand their children to be obedient and status-oriented without objection. They develop clearly defined rules and well ordered and structured environment. Authoritarian parents are directive but can be intrusive or non-intrusive. Permissive parents are often regarded as lenient because they are non-traditional. Permissive parents do not make confronting the environment with their children but permit more self-regulation. Permissive parenting style can be divided into democratic, who are lenient but conscientious, engaged, and committed to children as compared to non-directive type. The neglectful type is uninvolved parents. They are neither responsive nor demanding. Such parents might be rejecting-neglecting but falls within the normal range (Baumrind, 1991).
Parenting styles not only differ based on responsiveness or demandingness but a third dimension called psychological control also matters. Barber (1996) states that psychological control is attempted by parents to control psychological and affective milestones in their children. Authoritative and authoritarian parents differ over this element, while the latter having more control as compared to the former. Parents who possess more psychological control expect their children to show compliance with their values, goals, and opinions, such as authoritarian parents. Dwairy (2010) research supported that difference in these parenting styles leads towards various emotional and behavioral problems in the children. Ross and Wynne (2010) results also validate that unpredictable parental behavior is directly associated with anxiety and depression in children. They also found that learned helplessness causes internalizing and externalizing problems.
Parenting styles influence children’s development in various aspects e.g. socialization and child’s functioning. Furthermore, literature suggests that each parenting style influences a child’s development differently (Talib and Mamat, 2011; Joseph and John, 2008; Munsawaengsub, 2007; Mensah and Kuranchie, 2013). Studies found that the authoritative parenting style has a positive effect on children’s behavior and achievement in school (Mensah and Kuranchie, 2013; Talib and Mamat, 2011). It is also linked with a higher social competence in children (Bornstein and Bornstein, 2007). This type of parenting style is also said to be positively correlated with children’s behavioral problems. However, there has been little evidence for this in the literature (Querido, Warner, and Eyberg, 2002). In contrast, studies found authoritarian and permissive styles having negative effects on children behavior and schooling outcomes (Talib and Mamat, 2011).
www.childhoodreview.com Studies also found that mixed parenting styles showed developmental delays among children. However, parents exhibiting the Authoritative parenting style provide a safe environment giving rise to children who are self-confident and grow with their full potential (Munsawaengsub, 2007).
Parenting styles are shaped by social, cultural, and economic factors (that are interconnected). Parents, belonging to different socio-economic class and cultural values, exhibit their parenting styles accordingly (Joseph and John, 2008). Literature highlights that parenting styles differ substantially in different cultural groups in the United States. This has been measured by the difference in race/ethnicity (Pong, Johnston, and Chen, 2010). A possible reason for this variation is that the meaning of ‘good parenting’ differs culturally. Consequently, parenting styles and the associated developmental outcomes among children varies. Hence, a single parenting style cannot be generalized to show similar outcomes in a different cultural setting. For example, White American families exhibit an Authoritative parenting style where they support their children and set clear expectations & moderate limits. This is primarily shaped by their cultural norms where parents believe in providing the child with emotional and social support to promote autonomy and full potential. White American adolescents brought up in these parenting styles are seen to do better in school and show a high score on psychological wellbeing (Campen and Russell, 2010).
In contrast, Asian American parents believe in exerting high control and showing less support to their children i.e. Authoritarian parenting style. This is, again, primarily shaped by Asian parents’ belief about the importance of the authority figure. Asian American parents not only view ‘control’ as an integral part of parenting but also as a key role of parents. Such beliefs and practices can be viewed negatively by Western parents. According to White American parents, such practices might damage a child’s psychological wellbeing ultimately leading to negative developmental outcomes among adolescents. However, this authoritarian parenting style is seen to benefit Asian American children. Literature suggests that these children do just as well in schools as compared to children belonging to different ethnic groups and experiencing different parenting styles (Mensah and Kuranchie, 2013; Campen and Russell, 2010). Thus, parenting styles can result in different developmental outcomes in children depending upon the cultural context in which these styles are being practiced. Considering the importance of culture, more research is needed in this domain to explore the relationship of parenting styles with cultural factors.
Parenting is the most important issue in public health sciences. It is the single factor that stands alone responsible for children’s mental health, teenage accidents and pregnancies, substance abuse, learning difficulties at school, juvenile delinquency, and child abuse. It is a topic that requires precise awareness and knowledge. Humans’ survival and psychological and emotional expansion is dependent upon the warmth of interaction with their parents. To foster a unique developmental experience for children it is required to focus on the parenting that yields positive outcomes. Factors such as income, social class put boundaries on the unique development of each child. Effective policy development can give each child the optimal development grounds by supporting parents at small and thriving communities at large.
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