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What Is Your Parenting Style, and Why Does It Matter?

From authoritarian to authoritative, permissive to neglectful, we're breaking down different types of parenting styles. Which one do you practice? 

Authoritarian Parenting

Permissive parenting, authoritative parenting, neglectful or uninvolved parenting, sub-types of parenting styles.

Your parenting style can affect everything from your child's self-esteem to their academic success. It's important to ensure your parenting style supports healthy growth and development because the way you interact with your child—and how you discipline them— will influence them for the rest of their life. 

Researchers have identified four main types of parenting styles that take a unique approach to raising children:

• Authoritarian
• Authoritative

People often want to know which parenting style they're using, and which one is the best overall. The truth is that there's no one right way to parent, but the general parenting style that most experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), recommend is an authoritative approach.

Read on to learn the difference between these four major parenting styles, with information about popular subtypes like helicopter parenting, free-range parenting, tiger parenting, and more.

Baumrind's Four Parenting Styles

In the 1960s, developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind described three distinct parenting styles—authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive—based on parental demands and responsiveness to children. A fourth style, neglectful, was added later based on work by other researchers.

Do any of these statements sound like you?

• You believe kids should be seen and not heard.
• When it comes to rules, you believe it's "my way or the highway."
• You don't take your child's feelings into consideration.
• You've uttered the words "because I said so" when a child questions the reasons behind a rule.

If any of those ring true, you might be an authoritarian parent. The authoritarian style of parenting focuses on strict rules, obedience, and discipline. These parents have high expectations, and they don't hesitate to punish when children don't follow their guidelines.

Authoritarian parents take over the decision-making power, rarely giving children any input in the matter. Similar to an army drill sergeant, authoritarian parents are not nurturing, lenient, or communicable. They make the rules and enforce the consequences with little regard for a child's opinion.

How authoritarian parenting affects children

When raised by an authoritarian parent, children are often well-behaved at home, but they may rebel when with classmates or friends. Kids may also struggle with the following:

• Social skills
• Indecisiveness and trouble thinking on their own
• Low self-esteem
• Poor judge of character
• Anger management and resentfulness
• Hostility and aggression

Some research also indicates that children whose parents were authoritarian reported more substance use and higher instances of depression.

• You set rules but rarely enforce them.
• You don't give out consequences very often.
• You think your child will learn best with little interference from you.
• You let your children do what they want—even if it's drinking soda at every meal.

If those statements sound familiar, you might practice permissive parenting . Permissive parents are lenient, only stepping in when there's a serious problem. They're quite forgiving and they adopt an attitude of "kids will be kids." Oftentimes they act more like friends than authoritative figures.

Permissive parents cater to their children's needs without giving out much discipline . When they do use consequences, they may not stick. For example, they'll give privileges back if a child begs, or they may allow a child to get out of time-out early if they promise to be good. Permissive parents are the total opposite of strict.

How permissive parenting affects children

Since they have a high standing in the household, children of permissive parents are accustomed to getting whatever they want. They may exhibit more behavioral problems as they don't appreciate authority and rules.

Other downsides of the permissive parenting style can include:

• Lack of responsibility
• Difficulty with decision-making
• Impulsiveness and aggressiveness
• Lack of independence and personal responsibility
• Anxiety and depression
• Academic struggles

Kids who are parented permissively often act entitled, egocentric, and selfish. These children might also fail to put effort into school, work, or social endeavors since they don't have to put in any effort at home.

Additionally, kids raised by permissive parents are at a higher risk for health problems, like obesity , because permissive parents struggle to limit unhealthy food intake or promote regular exercise or healthy sleep habits. They're more likely to have dental cavities because permissive parents often don't enforce good habits, like ensuring a child brushes their teeth.

The "Gold Standard" Parenting Style

Experts consider authoritative parenting to be the most developmentally healthy and effective parenting style. Research has found kids who have authoritative parents are most likely to become confident, responsible adults who feel comfortable self-advocating and expressing their opinions and feelings.

• You put a lot of effort into creating and maintaining a positive relationship with your child.
• You explain the reasons behind your rules.
• You set limits, enforce rules, and give consequences, but also consider your child's feelings. 
• You use positive discipline strategies such as praise and rewards.

If those statements sound familiar, you might practice authoritative parenting , which is considered to be the "gold standard" parenting style. Authoritative parents provide their children with rules and boundaries, but they also give them the freedom to make decisions.

With an authoritative parenting style, parents validate their children's feelings while also making it clear that the adults are ultimately in charge. They invest time and energy into preventing behavior problems before they start. They also use positive discipline strategies , like praise and reward systems, to reinforce positive behavior.

Authoritative parents view mistakes as a learning experience, and they have clear expectations for their children. They're nurturing and warm, yet they instill the importance of responsibility and discipline.

How authoritative parenting affects children

Children raised with authoritative parenting tend to be happy, confident, and successful. They're also more likely to make sound decisions and evaluate safety risks on their own. Authoritative parenting is linked to academic achievement, heightened self-esteem, and resiliency.

Kids with authoritative parents tend to have the following positive outcomes:

• Close, nurturing relationships with parents
• Tendency to be responsible and respectful
• Ability to manage their aggression
• High degrees of self-esteem, self-confidence , and self-regulation
• More likely to be happy and successful
• Ability to clearly express their emotions

Kids who are parented authoritatively can be trusted to make the right decision on their own, and they often set high expectations for themselves. These children may also perform well academically and socially, and they're less likely to misuse drugs or alcohol.

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

• You don't ask your child about school or homework.
• You rarely know where your child is or who they're with.
• You don't spend much time with your child.
• You don't have many rules and expectations.

If those statements sound familiar, you might be an uninvolved or neglectful parent. Essentially, neglectful parents ignore their children, who receive little guidance, nurturing, and parental attention. They don't set rules or expectations, and they tend to have minimal knowledge about what their children are doing.

Uninvolved parents expect children to raise themselves. They don't devote much time or energy to meeting children's basic needs. At times, uninvolved parents lack knowledge about child development—or they may believe that their child will do better without their oversight.

Uninvolved parents may be neglectful but it's not always intentional. A parent with mental health issues or substance abuse problems, for example, may not be able to care for a child's physical or emotional needs consistently.

How uninvolved parenting affects children

Without any guidance, structure, or parental involvement, children of neglectful parents often act out. Research has found that kids with uninvolved parents have the worst outcomes, and they're more likely to experience the following:

• Substance use
• Rebelliousness
• Delinquency (vandalism, assault, rape, petty theft)
• Lower cognitive and emotional empathy
• Diminished self-esteem

Children of uninvolved parents might, for example, get in trouble at school or with the law. In addition, they might hesitate to form bonds with other people and exhibit depression. Academic performance and social competence often suffer.

Getty Images / Shaw Photography Co.

Of course, there are plenty of parenting style subtypes, including the following

Free-range parenting

Helicopter parenting, snowplow parenting, lighthouse parenting, attachment parenting, tiger parenting.

Free-range parents give their children the independence of being less supervised or unsupervised in public. For a long time, parents who practiced this style were considered neglectful, and many thought they endangered their kids.

But more recently (and after much debate) states like Utah passed laws in favor of the hands-off parenting style. Specifically, Utah changed the definition of neglect so it doesn't include certain independent childhood activities like walking to school and playing outside. Proponents say it can instill amazing qualities like self-sufficiency and resilience.

If you're an overprotective parent who feels the need to control most aspects of your child's life, you likely fit the bill of a helicopter parent . Helicopter parents constantly intervene in their kid's life, and they obsess about successes and failures.

The risk-assessing tendencies of helicopter parents are often driven by fear and anxiety. Parents who intervene in this way can hinder a child's ability to learn integral life skills, confidence, and self-sufficiency. Research by the American Psychological Association found that kids who experience helicopter parenting are less likely to be able to manage their emotions and behavior.

Snowplow parents (also known as lawnmower or bulldozer parents) are willing to drop everything to fulfill their child's wants and demands, no matter how small. They essentially "plow down" anything standing in their child's way.

These types of parents often have good intentions and don't want their children to experience struggle. However, their habits don't provide a foundation for long-term happiness, and they can worsen a child's anxiety about failure. An extreme example of snowplow parenting involves the college admissions scandal , where numerous high-profile celebrity parents were convicted of bribing colleges to admit their children.

One of the more balanced methods of parenting, the lighthouse approach was coined by pediatrician and author Kenneth Ginsburg, MD. In his book, Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love With Expectations and Protection With Trust, Dr. Ginsburg writes: "We should be like lighthouses for our children. Stable beacons of light on the shoreline from which they can measure themselves against."

The lighthouse parenting style involves finding the perfect balance between loving, protecting, communicating, and nurturing your child. Parents seek to guide and support their children, much like a lighthouse does.

Attachment parenting involves a nurturing and hands-on approach. These parents think that putting a child's needs first leads to independence and emotional stability. Parents who follow this style value physical closeness, bed-sharing and co-sleeping, extended breastfeeding , positive discipline, and other attachment-based approaches to raising children.

A study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found an association between sensitive-responsive parenting and children’s language skills. Specifically, kids of parents with higher levels of responsiveness and warmth had more than two times better language skills than children whose parents were less responsive. On the other hand, this parenting style is demanding and can sometimes feel out of balance when parents are less flexible in their approach.

Often displaying rigid and harsh characteristics, tiger parents expect obedience and success. This term gained mainstream attention due to Amy Chua's book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom , where she describes tiger parenting as an authoritarian method commonly used in Chinese culture.

Some research has found a correlation between tiger parenting and anxiety in children , possibly due to their parent's high demands and constant expectations for perfection.

Additional reporting by Amy Morin, LCSW  

Parenting and Boundary Setting: Pediatric Mental Health Minute Series . American Academy of Pediatrics .

Parenting Styles: A Closer Look at a Well-Known Concept .  J Child Fam Stud. 2019.

Psychosocial consequences of parenting .  IOSR J Hum Soc Sci . 2016.

Types of Parenting Styles and Effects On Children .  StatPearls  [Internet]. Updated 2022.

Role of parenting styles in adolescent substance use: results from a Swedish longitudinal cohort study . BMJ Open.  2016.

Authoritarian parenting and youth depression: Results from a national study .  Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community.  2016.

Role of Parenting Style in Children’s Behavioral Problems through the Transition from Preschool to Elementary School According to Gender in Japan . Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health . 2019.

Parenting Styles: A Closer Look at a Well-Known Concept .  J Child Fam Stud . 2019.

Consequences of parenting on adolescent outcomes .  Societies . 2014.

Psychosocial Consequences of Parenting . IOSR Journal Of Humanities And Social Science . 2016.

Helicopter Parenting May Negatively Affect Children’s Emotional Well-Being, Behavior . American Psychological Association . 2018.

Investigations of College Admissions and Testing Bribery Scheme . United States Attorney's Office . Updated 2023.

Parenting Behavior and Child Language: A Meta-analysis . American Academy of Pediatrics . 2019.

The moderating effects of positive psychological strengths on the relationship between tiger parenting and child anxiety . Children and Youth Services Review . 2018.

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Home / Parenting, Kids & Teens / The 4 types of parenting styles: What style is right for you?

The 4 types of parenting styles: What style is right for you?

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A parent’s job is to prepare their children to be adults who are capable of taking care of themselves and overcoming difficulties. It’s not an easy job. Parents have to set appropriate limits, watch their children fail and let them feel the consequences of their actions. Sometimes parents even endure the harsh screams of “I hate you!” or other painful words.

“I tell parents that it’s OK for your kids to be mad at you and not like you because of the limit you set,” said Hannah L. Mulholland, LICSW, MSW, a Mayo Clinic pediatric social worker. “You’re the best person in the world for them not to like and be mad at because you’re the one person who’s not going to desert them. You’re still going to love them, even when they’re mad at you. But for many parents, the reason they don’t set limits is because they want to be liked.”

Parenting is about supporting children while they make their own mistakes, take on age-appropriate responsibilities, think for themselves and solve their own problems. How you do that is up to you.

For example, you can let your kids choose how and when to do their homework — but also let them know that if they don’t do it, there may be consequences at school. “Let your kid be distressed. Let your kid make mistakes,” Mulholland says. “That’s how they learn.”

Kids who don’t learn might enter the adult world woefully unprepared or even afraid because they don’t know how to have relationships, do their laundry or manage their money. “They get in over their heads because they don’t really know what their own capacity is,” Mulholland says.

4 parenting styles

There are four main parenting styles: authoritarian, authoritative, permissive and neglectful. You don’t have to commit to one style. It’s natural to use different styles in different situations. When safety is at stake, a parent might use a firm authoritarian style that leaves no room for negotiation. But a parent might put consequences on hold and lean into a permissive approach to encourage a teenager to call for help if they put themselves in a dangerous situation.

“As parents, we are all doing the best we can each day,” Mulholland says. “Our intentions are always good, but we struggle to execute depending on our own capacity in the moment. Give yourself a break as a parent and recognize your own limits. All of the advice in this article is for when you are your very best self, not necessarily something you can implement all the time.”

Here’s a look at each of the four styles.

Authoritative parenting style

Authoritative parenting is often considered the ideal style for its combination of warmth and flexibility while still making it clear that the parents are in charge. (3) Children of authoritative parents know what is expected of them. Their parents explain reasons for the rules and consequences for breaking them. Parents also listen to their child’s opinions, but the parent remains the ultimate decision maker.

Authoritative parents develop close, nurturing relationships with their children. Children with authoritative parents tend to grow up confident, responsible and capable of managing their emotions. They are also friendly, curious and achievement-oriented.

What is an example of authoritative parenting style?

One place where parenting style shows is at mealtimes. Authoritative parents have more family meals where the parents model eating behaviors — rather than imposing strict restrictions. The parents will include the children in meal preparation. Perhaps the child will choose what’s for dinner one night a week or choose the side dish. Research shows that children of authoritative mothers have a high quality of diet and eat more fruit than children from different parenting styles.

Permissive parenting style

Permissive parents might pride themselves on being their child’s best friend. These parents are warm and nurturing with open communication. They are actively involved in their children’s emotional well-being. They also have low expectations and use discipline sparingly. Permissive parents let children make their own choices, but also bail them out if it doesn’t go well.

Children of permissive parents have the freedom to make decisions like what to eat, when to go to bed and whether to do their homework. These children tend to have good self-esteem and social skills. But they can be impulsive, demanding and lack the ability to self-regulate. (1) Permissive parents often try to control their child’s environment, so the child doesn’t have to experience rejection or failure. This means the child might enter adulthood unprepared.

What is an example of permissive parenting style?

When it comes to food, permissive parents might have lax rules. They allow the children to choose what they want, even if that means the parents make a special meal. This could lead to picky eating and unhealthy diet choices. Permissive parenting is associated with lower fruit and vegetable intake. It may also result in inexperience in trying new things or going with the flow and difficulty in social settings involving food.

Authoritarian parenting style

Authoritarian parenting uses strict rules, high standards and punishment to regulate the child’s behavior. Authoritarian parents have high expectations and are not flexible on them. The children might not even know a rule is in place until they’re punished for breaking it.

Children of authoritarian parents are good at following instructions and behave well. However, these children might grow up with a fear of punishment and lack experience making their own decisions. As a result, some might become aggressively rebellious, lack social skills and may have difficulty making sound decisions on their own.

What is an example of authoritarian parenting style? 

At mealtimes, authoritarian parents might enforce rules, such as the children eat the same meal as everyone else or finish everything on their plate. However, the family is unlikely to discuss why they eat certain foods and how they fit into their culture or affect a child’s health.

Neglectful parenting style

Neglectful parents fulfill the child’s basic needs, but then pay little attention to the child. These parents tend to offer minimal nurturing and have few expectations or limitations for their child. It’s not always a conscious choice parents make, but can be forced by circumstance, such as the need to work late shifts, single parenting, mental health concerns or overall family troubles.

Children of neglectful parents usually grow up to be resilient and self-sufficient out of necessity. They might have trouble controlling emotions, don’t develop effective coping strategies and they have difficulty maintaining social relationships. They tend to have low self-esteem and might seek out inappropriate role models.

What is an example of neglectful parenting style?

Parents who are uninvolved might not buy groceries or plan meals consistently. That could leave the child concerned about when they will next eat. It can lead them to become preoccupied with food. Children who had neglectful parents often overeat when food is available and may become overweight. But these children often have an easier time leaving home when it’s time.

How do I make sure I don’t mess up my child?

There’s no parenting style that is guaranteed to produce perfectly adjusted children. Nobody’s child is going to go through life universally liked and immune to failure or disappointment. Mulholland says everyone experiences difficulties. “It’s just unrealistic to say that a parenting decision is the reason for that.”

Since children will inevitably go through difficult moments, it’s best to equip them with the ability to bounce back. It helps if kids have had some practice from being allowed to try and fail in a safe environment.

For example, if a child played video games instead of studying, they might do poorly on the test. That’s how they learn that they need to manage their time better. But if you let them stay home “sick” to get an extra day to study, they won’t have learned a lesson.

A lot of parents see their child’s successes or failures as a reflection of themselves as a parent. But it’s the parent’s job to give the child the tools they need, not to control the situation.

“I’m always reminding parents that those aren’t your grades,” Mulholland says. “That’s not your college that they end up going to. That’s on them. You shouldn’t measure your worth as a parent on how successful your children are.”

How can parents change their parenting style?

If you find that your child is having some behavior issues, you might decide you need to adjust your parenting style. Behavior change can be as difficult for parents as it is for kids.

Mulholland recommends thinking back to your own childhood and what worked for you and what didn’t. Some people had parents who were very strict. The child wasn’t allowed to talk at the table and was punished severely. As a result, when they became a parent, they went the other way and became permissive. But perhaps a middle ground would work better. As you reflect on your own parenting, think about why you react the way you do.

If you want to change your parenting style, look into parenting workshops. Many schools or early childhood centers offer classes or can refer you to one. Mulholland also recommends the book, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk . A mental health therapist can also help you work through issues from your own childhood and find a parenting approach that will work for your family.

Which parenting style is most encouraged?

Authoritative parenting is the most recommended parenting style . The combination of clear communication and age-appropriate standards can lead to emotionally stable adults who can handle themselves in social situations and set goals for themselves.

To take an authoritative approach, parents can:

• Set clear boundaries and communicate them to children.
• Offer children choices and have discussions about what’s appropriate. For example, you can choose which pajamas you want to wear to bed. You cannot wear your winter coat to bed because it will be too warm.
• Listen to and explore their children’s emotional health concerns.
• Frequently express love and affection.

A helpful approach can be to use praise and positive reinforcement to encourage desired behavior. Ignore annoying, but not dangerous, attempts at getting attention, such as banging on a wall or whining. You also can tell children, “I’ll wait and respond to you when you stop whining.”

Another approach is to reward children with something they want. For example, instead of taking away their tablet until they do their homework, use it as a reward. “I’m going to give you your tablet as soon as you’re done with your homework.” That way the tablet is a reinforcer instead of a consequence.

How to set limits for children

A big part of parenting is setting rules and limits for your children. A metaphor from Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D. , suggests thinking of parenting like enclosing a pasture for your sheep. You build a fence and put things the sheep need in the pasture — plus some fun things to play with. Then let the sheep roam around within their limits.

“You don’t tell the sheep ‘You need to only be in this corner.’ Or ‘You need to only eat that type of flower,'” Mulholland explains. “They’re likely to run into the good flowers and eat the good stuff. But you’re also going to have the fence around them. So there’s a limit as to how far they can go.”

The same with children. As the parents, you set the limits and provide children with food to eat and toys to play with. As the children show they’re being responsible and can handle more, you can expand their boundaries.

Setting limits together

As much as you can, decide with your child what your limits are ahead of time. For example, before the start of a new school year, decide on your limits for weekday screen time, after-school snacks or homework rules.

If you’re trying to make rules on the fly, you’re more likely to be inconsistent from day to day. If you decide that the kids get 90 minutes of screen time on a school night, then you can always hold to that, and the kids know what to expect.

If you have a spouse or co-parent, discuss limits together. It’s common for two parents to have different ideas of what’s appropriate, so it’s helpful to set the boundaries together. And whether you live in the same house or not, try to maintain the same basic limits.

“The most important thing is — in front of the child — you 100% have your partner’s back, even if you disagree wholeheartedly with how they approached it. In front of the child, you have to have their back,” Mulholland says. “In the moment you say, ‘Yep. Dad said eat your broccoli. ‘” If you would have done things differently, talk to your partner about it away from the kids.

Your relationship with a grown child

Parenting style also plays a role in the relationship between parents and their children when they become adults. Kids who had strict, inflexible parents might not have a close relationship as adults. Kids of permissive parents might come back for help frequently when they are in a bind. Kids who grew up with encouraging, supportive parents tend to have close relationships with their parents. They will be independent, but still go to their parents for advice.

“The best-case scenario is they’re still keeping you involved in their life,” Mulholland says. “They’re telling you about the hardships and maybe even seeking advice, but they’re also not expecting you to fix everything.”

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Why Parenting Styles Matter When Raising Children

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk,  "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Verywell / Laura Porter

• Limitations

Parenting styles are constructs used to describe the different strategies parents tend to utilize when raising children. These styles encompass parents' behaviors and attitudes and the emotional environment in which they raise their children.

Developmental psychologists have long been interested in how parents affect child development . However, finding actual cause-and-effect links between specific actions of parents and the later behavior of children is very difficult.

Some children raised in dramatically different environments can grow up to have remarkably similar personalities. Conversely, children who share a home and are raised in the same environment can grow up to have very different personalities.

Despite these challenges, researchers have posited that there are links between parenting styles and the effects these styles have on children. And some suggest these effects carry over into adult behavior.

The Four Parenting Styles

In the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind conducted a study on more than 100 preschool-age children. Using naturalistic observation , parental interviews, and other research methods , she identified important dimensions of parenting.

These dimensions include disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturing, communication styles, and expectations of maturity and control. Based on these dimensions, Baumrind suggested that the majority of parents display one of three different parenting styles. Later research by Maccoby and Martin suggested adding a fourth parenting style. Each of these has different effects on children's behavior.

The four parenting styles identified by Baumrind and other researchers are:

• Authoritarian parenting style
• Authoritative parenting style
• Permissive parenting style
• Uninvolved parenting style

Authoritarian Parenting

In this style of parenting, children are expected to follow strict rules established by the parents. Failure to do so usually results in punishment. Authoritarian parents don't explain the reasoning behind these rules, either. If asked to explain, the parent might simply reply, "Because I said so."

Other common characteristics include:

• While these parents have high demands, they are not very responsive to their children.
• They expect their children to behave exceptionally and not make errors, yet they provide little direction about what they should do or avoid in the future.
• Mistakes are punished , often quite harshly, yet their children are often left wondering exactly what they did wrong.

Baumrind says these parents "are obedience- and status-oriented, and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation." They are often described as domineering and dictatorial. Their approach is "spare the rod, spoil the child." They expect children to obey without question.

Effects of Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parenting styles generally lead to obedient and proficient children but can also lead to increased anxiety , lower self-reliance, and reduced intrinsic motivation . Children may also be more likely to lie to avoid punishment.

Authoritative Parenting

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.

Here are a few common characteristics of the authoritative parenting style:

• Authoritative parents are responsive to their children and willing to listen to questions.
• These parents expect a lot of their children but also provide warmth, feedback, and adequate support.
• When children fail to meet expectations , these parents are more nurturing and forgiving than punishing.

According to Baumrind, authoritative parents are good at setting standards and monitoring their children's behavior. Their disciplinary methods are assertive and supportive rather than intrusive, restrictive, or punitive.

For authoritative parents, the goal is to raise children who are socially responsible, cooperative, and self-regulated. The combination of expectation and support helps children of authoritative parents develop skills such as independence, self-control, and self-regulation. 

Effects of Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parenting styles tend to result in happy, capable, and successful children. Studies also show that these children often have higher levels of life satisfaction when they get older.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parents , sometimes referred to as indulgent parents, make very few demands of their children. These parents rarely discipline their children because they have relatively low expectations of maturity and self-control.​

Other common characteristics of permissive parenting are:

• Permissive parents prioritize being their child's friend rather than being a parent.
• They are warm and attentive but tend to set few rules, rarely enforce rules, and have few expectations.
• They allow their children to make their own decisions. 

According to Baumrind, permissive parents are responsive to their children but not demanding. Because they do not expect mature behavior from their children, kids may struggle to set limits for themselves.

Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than a parent. On the positive side, this can help kids become more self-sufficient and independent. On the downside, it can contribute to poor self-regulation .

Effects of Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting often results in children who rank low in happiness and self-regulation. These children are more likely to engage in high-risk behaviors and tend to perform poorly in school.

Uninvolved Parenting

In addition to the three major styles introduced by Baumrind, psychologists Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin proposed a fourth style: uninvolved or neglectful parenting. An uninvolved parenting style is characterized by few demands, low responsiveness, and very little communication.

Other characteristics of the uninvolved parenting style include:

• While these parents fulfill the child's basic needs, they are generally detached from their child's life.
• They might ensure that their kids are fed and have shelter but offer little to nothing in the way of guidance, structure, rules, or even support.
• These parents may seem indifferent, unresponsive, and dismissive.
• In some cases, these parents may reject or neglect the needs of their children. They may also be physically or emotionally abusive .

A 2019 study found that children raised by neglectful parents tend to struggle in school, experience more depression, have worse social relationships, have difficulty controlling their emotions, and experience more anxiety.

Effects of Uninvolved Parenting

Uninvolved parenting styles rank lowest across all life domains. These children tend to lack self-control , have higher rates of delinquency, and poorer self-reliance.

What's Your Parenting Style?

This fast and free parenting style quiz can help you analyze the methods you're using to parent your kids and whether or not it may be a good idea to learn some new parenting behaviors:

The Impact of Parenting Styles

Research suggests that parenting styles can have a range of effects on children. Some areas of a child's life that may be affected, whether in the present or the future, include:

• Academics : Parenting styles can play a part in academic achievement and motivation.
• Mental health : Parenting styles can also influence children's mental well-being . Kids raised by authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved parents tend to experience more anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.
• Self-esteem : Kids raised by parents with an authoritative style tend to have stronger self-esteem than kids raised by parents with other styles.
• Social relationships : Parenting styles can impact how kids relate to other people. For example, kids raised by permissive parents are more likely to be bullied, while kids raised by authoritarian parents are more likely to bully others .
• Adult relationships : Researchers have also found that kids raised by strict, authoritarian parents may be more likely to experience emotional abuse in adult romantic relationships .

Mixing Parenting Styles

The parenting styles of individual parents also combine to create a unique blend in each family. For example, the mother may display an authoritative style, while the father favors a more permissive approach. This can sometimes lead to mixed signals.

To create a cohesive approach to parenting, parents must learn to cooperate and combine their unique parenting styles.

Advantages of Authoritative Parenting

Because authoritative parents are more likely to be viewed as reasonable, fair, and just, their children are more likely to comply with their parents' requests. Also, because these parents provide rules as well as explanations for these rules, children are much more likely to internalize these lessons.

Rather than simply following the rules because they fear punishment (as they might with authoritarian parents), the children of authoritative parents are able to see why the rules exist, understand that they are fair and acceptable, and strive to follow these rules to meet their own internalized sense of what is right and wrong.

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Can You Change Your Parenting Style?

If you notice that you tend to be more authoritarian, permissive, or uninvolved, there are steps you can take to adopt a more authoritative parenting style. Strategies that may help include:

• Listen : Spend time listening to what your child has to say. Let them share their opinions, ideas, and worries with you. 
• Establish rules : Create a clear set of rules for your household and communicate your expectations to your child. In addition to telling your child what the rules are, explain why these rules exist.
• Consider your child's input : Authoritative parents set the rules but are also willing to listen to their child's feelings and consider them when making decisions.
• Be consistent : Enforce rules consistently, but be sure to provide consequences that are fair, proportionate, and educational. 

Developing a more authoritative parenting style takes time. With practice and consistent effort, however, you will find that your approach to parenting gradually shifts to a more supportive, involved approach that can lead to better developmental outcomes.

Limitations of Parenting Style Research

Links between parenting styles and behavior are based on correlational research , which is helpful for finding relationships between variables . However, such research cannot establish definitive cause-and-effect relationships.

While there is evidence that a particular parenting style is linked to a specific pattern of behavior, other variables, such as a child's temperament, can also play a significant role.

Children May Affect Their Parents' Styles

There is also evidence that a child's behavior can impact parenting styles. One study found that when a child misbehaves, a parent's response tends to be more variable. An interpretation of this result is that kids might misbehave not because their parents were too permissive but because parents of difficult or aggressive children gave up on trying to control their kids.

Outcomes Vary

The correlations between parenting styles and behaviors are sometimes weak, so the expected child outcomes do not materialize. For example, parents with authoritative styles may have children who are defiant or engage in delinquent behavior. Parents with permissive styles may also ave self-confident and academically successful children.

Cultural Factors Play a Role

Cultural factors also play a significant role in parenting styles and child outcomes. There isn't a universal style of parenting that is always best. For example, while authoritarian parenting is associated with poorer academic achievement, this effect is less pronounced in Hispanic families.

Final Thoughts

Parenting styles are associated with different child outcomes, and the authoritative style is generally linked to positive behaviors such as strong self-esteem and self-competence. However, other important factors—including culture, children's temperament , children's perceptions of parental treatment, and social influences—also play an important role in children's behavior.

Understanding more about your parenting style can help you explore different approaches to parenting your children. If you notice that you tend to have a more strict, indulgent, or dismissive approach, there are steps that you can take to become more involved and authoritative in how you relate to your children.

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Louis JP. The Young Parenting Inventory (YPI-R3), and the Baumrind, Maccoby and Martin parenting model: Finding common ground . Children . 2022;9(2):159. doi:10.3390/children9020159

Arafat Y, Akter H, Islam A, Ali Shah M, Kabir R. Parenting: Types, effects and cultural variation . Asian J Ped Res . 2020;3(3):32-36. doi:10.9734/AJPR/2020/v3i330130

Lavrič M, Naterer A. The power of authoritative parenting: A cross-national study of effects of exposure to different parenting styles on life satisfaction . Child Youth Serv Rev . 2020;116:105274. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105274

Jinnah HA, Stoneman Z. Influence of permissive parenting on youth farm risk behaviors . J Agromed . 2016;21(3):244-252. doi:10.1080/1059924X.2016.1179610

Pinquart M. Associations of parenting styles and dimensions with academic achievement in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis . Ed Psychol Rev . 2016;28:475-493. doi:10.1007/s10648-015-9338-y

Kuppens S, Ceulemans E. Parenting styles: A closer look at a well-known concept .  J Child Fam Stud . 2019;28(1):168-181. doi:10.1007/s10826-018-1242-x

Power TG. Parenting dimensions and styles: a brief history and recommendations for future research .  Child Obes . 2013;9 Suppl(Suppl 1):S14–S21. doi:10.1089/chi.2013.0034

Alizadeh Maralani F, Mirnasab M, Hashemi T. The predictive role of maternal parenting and stress on pupils' bullying involvement .  J Interpers Violence . 2019;34(17):3691-3710. doi:10.1177/0886260516672053

Beyarslan SD, Uzer T. Psychological control and indulgent parenting predict emotional-abuse victimization in romantic relationships . Curr Psychol . 2022;41(8):5532-5545. doi:10.1007/s12144-020-01072-w

Bi X, Yang Y, Li H, Wang M, Zhang W, Deater-deckard K. Parenting styles and parent-adolescent relationships: the mediating roles of behavioral autonomy and parental authority . Front Psychol . 2018;9:2187. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02187

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By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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The Psychology Behind Different Types of Parenting Styles

Deciding how to raise their child is a challenge all parents face. Whether child rearing alone, or with a partner, we all want to do what’s best for our kids, and that can lead to a lot of anxiety when choosing a parenting style to follow. Parenting styles vary from person to person, but a few main categories have been identified by researchers over the years.

In the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind identified three main styles of parenting: authoritarian, authoritative and permissive. A fourth style, neglectful, was later added in the 1980s by Stanford researchers Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin. Baumrind later wrote an  entire book  on the authoritative parenting style, which she believed to be the most beneficial, but all four categories remain in place today. Below are the different parenting styles.

The Four Types of Parenting Styles

The effects of parenting styles on the development as children, and how those effects manifest themselves in adulthood, is still a subject of heavy discussion in the psychology community. It’s hard to measure as those affects are hard to quantify, but there are several generally agreed-upon consequences of each parenting style. We’ll explore the four parenting styles in more detail here and discuss their potential consequences on children raised under them.

Authoritarian

First in the 4 parenting styles is Authoritarian. This style is often described as dictatorial and overbearing. These parents respond to any question with, “Because I said so!” and expect to be obeyed without giving a reason. Rules are strict, with no room for interpretation, compromise, or discussion. Punishments for violating rules are severe. In this kind of household, children are rarely given a say in their own lives and are expected instead to obey whatever they’re told to do without question. Punishments are often used to ensure obedience, and affection is given sparingly if at all. This approach  can have damaging consequences  to a child that can follow them into adulthood. According to therapist and author Alyson Schafer, those consequences include:

• Developing a “follower” mentality where these children have trouble deciding things for themselves
• Difficulty discerning right from wrong on their own
• Low self-esteem and seeking confirmation of their worth from outside authority figures

In addition to the above, authoritarian parenting doesn’t appear to instill lasting lessons; as soon as the parent leaves, the child will often act out. They’ll also often seek guidance from someone other than their parent.

Authoritative

Perhaps the most beneficial of Diana Baumrind’s parenting styles is Authoritative. This is generally regarded to be the best parenting style as it provides a balance between structure and independence, allowing a child to grow within reasonable boundaries and explore their abilities. Parents using this style will set strict standard which they expect their children to abide but also support them by providing an emotionally caring environment that fosters trust. This style can be described as “tough but fair” or “firm but nurturing.” A child has room to make mistakes and the freedom to make them without judgement within a structure that provides guidance. Baumrind described authoritative parents like this:

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.

This style can help children:

• Gain self-assurance
• Handle responsibility
• Figure out how to overcome difficulties
• Become confident in their own judgement

Third in the 4 types of parenting styles is Permissive. The extreme opposite of the authoritarian parenting style, permissive parents let their children do what they want and don’t implement rules or structure that might make disappoint or upset the child. Descriptions of this style often have the parent trying to act more as a peer or friend to their child, giving in to their wants almost immediately. This can be the result of that parent growing up with an authoritarian parenting style in their own household and not wanting to put their child through it. Being responsive to your child’s needs is great, but the lack of structure and limits can have negative affects long-term. “You end up with either a child who’s entitled or incredibly anxious because there’s no one running the ship,” Schafer said.

Other negative consequences of overly permissive parenting can include:

• Developing poor emotional control
• Being overly rebellious and defiant when the child doesn’t get their way
• Giving up when faced with challenges
• Engaging in harmful antisocial behavior, like drug and alcohol abuse

Last of the 4 parenting styles is Neglectful. The types of parents who are neglectful, as the category would imply, do not interact much with their children at all. The children are given no rules, structure, or affection and are left largely to fend for themselves. This parenting style, especially when taken to the extreme, can put children in danger and lead to them being removed from the home. This style can also be called “ uninvolved parenting .”

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. Even if not physically damaging, the psychological aftermath of this parenting style is serious and can lead to children:

• Becoming depressed
• Struggling to form close relationships
• Having failed relationships
• Lashing out through delinquent or hostile behavior
• Cutting themselves off from others

“Neglectful parents . . . raise kids who have attachment difficulties because the bond between child and parent is so fleeting,” said Fran Walfish, a child, parenting and relationship psychotherapist.

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Parenting Styles

Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

It is a stereotype that, in therapy, all of a person’s problems will be blamed on their parents. That is not the case. But decades of psychological research have suggested that the approach to parenting generally followed by an individual’s mother and/or father can influence the way they approach relationships, challenges, and opportunities. That doesn’t mean that an adult can’t change, of course, especially once they understand what may be influencing their behavior. And parents who become aware of the pitfalls of their own style and how it may affect their kids can also change.

For more on dysfunctional parenting, click here .

On This Page

• What are the four major parenting styles?
• How can a parent’s style predict a child’s future relationships?
• How can mothers and fathers tell what their parenting style is?
• How can parents become more authoritative?
• What is supportive parenting?
• What is attachment parenting?
• How can mothers and fathers transition away from attachment parenting?

Research begun by developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind in the 1960s identified three main parenting styles —authoritarian, indulgent, and authoritative. Later studies added a fourth—neglectful. Every parent does not neatly fit into one of these four categories but they describe the approaches of many.

• An authoritarian parent seeks to maintain a high level of control over their children. They may set and adhere to a strict set of rules, and are more likely to support and take part in corporal punishment such as spanking. Children of highly authoritarian parents may struggle socially and may be likely to become authoritarian parents themselves.
• Neglectful parents (also known as uninvolved or disengaged) take on a limited parenting role. They may not spend as much time as other parents in conversation, play, or other activities, and may not bother to set many house rules. Some children of neglectful parents may resist rules outside of the home and struggle with self-control.
• Indulgent (or permissive) parents may be attentive and warm, but may not set many rules for their children. They may prioritize being their child’s friend over being their parent. Research suggests that the children of permissive parents may show higher levels of creativity but may also feel entitled, and be more interested in taking rather than giving in their own relationships.
• Authoritative parents follow what is widely understood as the preferred approach. Such parents are more pragmatic and flexible. They set clear boundaries but also encourage children’s independence within those limits. Discipline in such families may be more supportive than punitive, and as children get older, their independence increases. Children of authoritative parents may have more highly developed self-control and self-reliance.

Recent research suggests that, in some families, a parent’s style, especially as it relates to maintaining control over their children, could leave their kids vulnerable to emotional abuse from future partners, employers, and and others. Researchers found that people raised with a parent who maintained strict psychological control over them grew to be especially vulnerable to emotionally abusive partners. The effect appeared to be offset, though, by experiencing emotional warmth from the other parent. Research continues to explore the effect of differing parenting styles in the same family, and whether it matters if a mother or father is the authoritarian.

Much research of parenting styles has examined how the styles affect children as they grow up, and how negative effects could be tempered. But other studies have focused on helping parents become more self-aware and change their styles to develop healthier relationships with their kids . Some researchers have developed analytical scales in which parents indicate how they would respond to certain scenarios with an eye toward helping them shift, perhaps through therapy, to a more moderate approach.

In practical terms, most parents do not think of themselves as authoritarian, authoritative, or otherwise, and many mothers and fathers are self-aware enough to know that they may not be consistent with their kids at all times. Experts suggest that attention to some general guidelines can help parents develop a healthier style—for example, being consciously warm and loving toward children, setting age-appropriate limits, actively listening to children’s concerns, gently but firmly asking to be treated with respect, and “catching” kids being good , while making sure they know they’ve been seen and acknowledged.

Supportive parenting describes an approach to authoritative parenting in which mothers and fathers are conscious of how often they say no to children (as they often must, especially when kids are young) so that they can seek more opportunities to say yes to them in encouraging ways that help kids develop confidence and self-esteem. When children are mostly told what they cannot do, they can feel rejected by a parent, even a well-meaning one, with potentially negative emotional outcomes. Being consciously supportive and selfless with children can help them internalize belief in themselves.

Attachment parenting , a term coined by pediatrician William Sears, describes an approach to parenting in which mothers and fathers are physically and emotionally close to their children, especially at an early age, and is characterized in practice by extended periods of breastfeeding and co-sleeping. Sears referred to it as “what mothers and fathers would do instinctively if they were raising their baby on a desert island.” There is little evidence, however, that this approach leads to more positive psychological outcomes for children and many experts reject attachment parenting as unnecessarily demanding of parents and potentially creating conflict and division between new parents.

Parents who commit themselves to attachment parenting and have the time and temperament to maintain the approach throughout early childhood may then be faced with the challenge of weaning their children from the approach. These mothers and fathers may need to consciously practice “ detachment parenting ” so that children entering early adolescence can develop independence and healthy friendships, while resisting feeling rejected themselves as kids begin to resist a parent’s efforts to hold onto their previous level of connection.

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Different Parenting Styles Research Paper

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
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• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

This paper seeks to undertake a research on different parenting styles and how they affect growth and development of adolescent children. The purpose of this research is to indicate aspects relating to parenting and their subsequent impact on behavior in adolescents.

Parenting is both an art and a science as it seeks to offer emotional and physical support to an infant from the onset of childhood until their maturity into adulthood. These infants are dependent on their parents until they reach a stage where they are self reliant and self sufficient (Harper, 2012). Parenting is a key aspect in the family life as it engages nurturing young child to be adults based on pre-determined norms and values.

There is no particular formula for good parenting as it entails acquisition of a variety of skills ranging from flexibility, perceptiveness, patience and high levels of personal discipline. These skills are vital to ensure that as an adolescent child undergoes behavioral changes, the parent is in a position to anticipate and control the adolescent’s behavior.

Significance of the study

The adolescent period of development refers to a stage that every human being has to undergo. However, adolescent children undergo a variety of developmental changes that require parents to understand their behavior to easily accommodate them. Some of the changes which the children go through revolve around emotional, biological, mental and social changes, which require them to adapt to changing situations.

The purpose of this research is to enable parents understand how to apply the right kind of parenting style on children undergoing adolescence. It further seeks to highlight and discuss different parenting styles to facilitate smooth relationships between parents and their children during this period of their lives.

Literature Review

The literature review highlights previous insights that have been advanced by scholars in the past relating to parenting. Parenting styles refer to approaches regarding childbearing based on aspects of control (degree of parental control) and responsiveness (often referred to as parental warmth).

This section analyzes the major types of parenting styles and further looks into suggested styles that have been attributed to successful adolescent upbringing. Development in adolescent children is influenced by a variety of factors, mainly parenting (Rankin, 2005).

Parenting Styles

The major types of parenting styles include authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved parenting. Different stages of child development demand for a style of parenting that is appropriate to that situation. Furthermore, different cultural and ethnic settings impact the kind of style applied by parents.

More often than not, past experience (relating to how parents were raised) may negatively or positively impact how parents raise their adolescent children. Below is a discussion of the types of parenting.

Authoritative parenting

Authoritative parents generally exercise a level of parental warmth despite eliciting strictness. They encourage their children to become self reliant and independent. They are willing to engage in dialogue with their children to determine the best way forward for both parties.

Despite allowing children to contribute to decision making, parents are clear on their boundaries and children understand that the overarching responsibility of discipline lies on their parents (Sigelman and Rider, 2011).

Adolescent children from such families are socially empowered and are in a better decision to develop social relationships better. Furthermore they are more competent as they exercise a level of independence and responsibility. Adolescent children from this style have the notion that their parents value their emotions. This makes authoritative parenting a democratic style of parenting (Sigelman and Rider, 2011).

Authoritarian parenting

Authoritarian parents demonstrate a lot of parental control, however their warmth towards their children is demanding. They invoke a feeling of ‘I am the boss’ around their children due to the fact that whatever they say goes and should not be discussed. They set their own standards and expect their children to strictly adhere to them without question or referral.

This is however not the best style of parenting to be applied on adolescents as such children may end up being rebellious as they desire to be independent. The disadvantage of this style of parenting is that it over-estimates the value of discipline and forgets to highlight the importance of independence and self reliance, which is vital for maturity of an adolescent child (Bjorklund and Blasi, 2011).

Permissive parenting

Permissive parents are passive; they are gullible to their adolescent children’s demands. They fear disappointing their children and end up saying yes to all their demands. They do not view themselves as major contributors towards decisions made by adolescent children. They sit back and allow nature to take its course.

As a result, adolescents growing up in such settings are not used to disciplinary action and lack respect for rules and regulations. Adolescent children in such families have issues with exercising self control and are usually used to having their way. The result is depression and anxiety in the event that things do not work their way (Schaffer and Kipp, 2009).

Uninvolved parenting

This is one of the most unfortunate types of parenting. The word is simple, the parents are uninvolved. They make no contributions to decision making on matters that influence adolescent children’s lives. They basically have an ‘I do not care attitude’ that allows children to do whatever they want. They neither exercise any form of control nor display any kind of affection towards their children.

In this case, parents do not spend quality time with their children and this negatively impacts children at the adolescent stage. Most parents involved in this style of parenting have misplaced priorities and are usually pre-occupied in other activities which they hold in high regard at the expense of their children. Some of the activities that such parents may be involved in include drug abuse, crime and addictions to alcohol.

Adolescent children in this kind of setting end up being very reserved and have problems establishing social relations. Communication is also a challenge and they have impulsive behaviors (Brooks, 2000).

Previous research on parenting styles

A proper balance between the degree of control and warmth (or responsiveness) should be established to raise a child properly. Different stages in child development call for the application of a different style of parenting.

Among the listed parenting styles highlighted above, developmental psychologists have cited that the authoritative style of parenting is the best for raising adolescent children in a manner that ensures wholeness and desired positive development. This is due to the fact that such children end up understanding the importance of self reliance and are nurtured towards being independent.

Despite the adherence to standards and rules, such children understand the importance of these rules and the relevance of the same. They do not simply follow regulations blindly; rather, they understand the rationale behind existence of standards. However, psychologists have equally cited that an adolescent’s behavior may determine the kind of parenting style applied by parents.

If the child is responsive, obedient and accommodative, parents are likely to exercise authoritative parenting. Irresponsible, de-motivated and uncooperative adolescents may end up having parents who are either uninvolved or authoritarian and usually have poor self esteem. As a result, they engage in drugs and are often suicidal (Mruk, 2006).

Research questions and hypothesis

Research questions are the guiding principles of the research. They seek to provide answers to objectives of the research. The research question to be employed in this study is:

What is the impact of parental styles to adolescent behavior?

The variables that are under study comprise of independent and dependent variables. The dependent variables are behavior, growth and development of an adolescent child. The independent variable is the parenting style applied.

Null hypothesis

Parental styles have no significant impact on adolescent behavior.

Alternative hypothesis

Parental styles have a significant impact on adolescent behavior.

Research Method

For this kind of research, a quantitative method will be applied and hypothesis used to test the validity of the research. The use of quantitative research supports the establishment of a relationship between one variable (independent) and another variable (dependent).

It requires numerical analysis to understand underlying motives and provide objective evidence to describe patterns in elements comprising the population. Quantitative research supports inquiry into a specified problem and thereby goes on to use statistical techniques to provide meaning to the data collected (Prunckun, 2010).

Reasons for use of quantitative research

The research will incorporate the use of quantitative research due to the fact that the research will be more objective and logical. The aim of this research is to develop generalizations to enable the researcher understand cause and effect including occurrence of phenomena.

The method to be applied is experimental which will entail true experiments characterized by random assignment of population elements to different situations. This is because raising adolescents occurs in a variety of different environments hence the need to test each of the reactions based on the parenting style being applied.

Research design

A research design is a detailed plan of how the research will be conducted according to the nature of data required in order to investigate the research hypotheses or questions in an economic manner. The research design presents the determination and approach for the study. It entails defining the population, sampling, procedures, measures, ethical protection of participants and tests of validity (Kothari, 2007).

The population forms a group of people or objects which are similar in one or more ways and which form the subject of study. From the population, the sample will be selected. For the purposes of accuracy, speed, depth of information and costs involved, a sample will be drawn from the population residing in neighborhoods in Boston.

Having identified the target population as families in Boston, inferences will be made from the findings that will equally be used as a reference to other enterprises. According to Kothari (2007), a sampling frame is the list of a group or a cluster which forms the basis of the sampling processes where a representative sample is drawn for the purpose of research.

The sample frame defines the units from which the sample will be drawn. The sampling technique employed was random stratified sampling. In as the elements had a known chance of being selected for the purpose of research.

This section highlights the treatments, conditions and interventions. For this particular research, the treatment will be the specific situations in which the group or elements under study are exposed to. In this case, the elements are in a family setting and observation expects to highlight day to day activities and how the respondents relate to each other.

For this research, introducing a condition will imply putting the parent and child in a position where they are required to make a decision to demonstrate their level of control and demand. Introducing a need for decision making affects behavior and parenting style applied.

Interventions are defined to assist in keeping the research back on track. In the event of issues like failure to communicate effectively, the intervention would be instrumental in encouraging the use of proper communication channels to facilitate interaction between the elements. This reiterates the importance of communication (Devore, 2006).

To measure degree of control, the research intends to use defined scales. The scale is designed in a manner that defines levels in terms of total or full control, medium control, minimal control or no control at all.

This will be observed through decisions made, chores assigned and feedback given by adolescent children under study. This scale is specific to this particular study. Temperament levels among adolescents will be measured to examine how they react to situations when dealing with their parents.

Validity of the research

The validity of the research determines the extent of acquisition of accurate results. The questionnaires must be tested for reliability and validity on a small sample before being administered in the field. The questionnaire is tested for biasness and the leading questions are identified and eliminated or rephrased.

The researcher should emphasize the purpose of the research to the respondents. Validity is equally raised on matters relating to sample size. The sample size must be representative to allow making of generalizations which are inclusive. If the sample is inappropriate, the results of the findings will be inaccurate.

Role of the researcher

The researcher will be actively involved in administration of the questionnaire. This is to facilitate clarifications in the event of ambiguous questions which the respondent is challenged. The questionnaire will be designed in a way that eliminates the possibility of leading questions, therefore bias will not occur.

The role of the researcher will be to continuously answer queries and provide guidance to respondents in the event that they encounter challenges. The researcher must possess problem solving skills and have a good grasp of the knowledge area under study.

The researcher should uphold objectivity and always rely on factual evidence to reach to conclusions. The researcher is responsible for providing the findings of the research without concealing any information.

Sample Size

The sample size intended for the study is a total of 150 elements due to the fact that the sample needs to be sufficient and representative. This is due to the fact that the sample is homogenous in terms of age and practices hence making it all inclusive. The choice of this sample was influenced by restrictions on time and cost which negated the possibility of a larger sample.

Sample and Context

The sample will take into consideration certain characteristics of the population. The age of adolescent children being observed will be between the ages of 13 to 19. The genders to be examined include both male and female. Ethnic background will include American and Black American settings. Educational levels will incorporate all levels of education to facilitate an inclusive sample.

Sampling Procedure

The choice of sampling method implies that the division into strata was to be based on area of residence. To further advance this technique, convenience sampling due to the advantage of human choice will be used.

The research attempts to obtain a sample of convenient elements having determined their ethnic differences. The researcher will interact with the respondents based on house visits and observation of parental routines. Door to door visits in random neighborhoods will be conducted.

Data type and Collection

The method to be employed by this research to collect data from the samples is questionnaires and observation. Primary data will be collected using a structured questionnaire that will seek to answer questions on demographics. The reason for choosing the use of a questionnaire was due to the fact that it is cost effective. They are also easy to analyze in terms of data entry and tabulation despite its familiarity to most people.

Furthermore, the researchers own opinions do not influence the respondents answers as there are no verbal and visual clues hence making them unbiased. The experiment will use the observation method. The reason behind choosing observation is due to the fact that the researcher has no influence on the behavior of the variables (Haslam and McGarty, 2003).

Data Analysis

The questionnaires will be analyzed together with the interviews to determine the variability of the data collected. Data will be analyzed and consolidated to analyze deviance among the variables. The information gained about the interdependencies can be used later to reduce the set of variables in a dataset.

Data will be evaluated and represented by use of bar charts and pie charts to represent influences of parental styles on adolescent behavior. The data will be represented in the form of pie charts, graphs and tabulations showing ratios.

The analyzed data will provide ratios that determine the validity of the null and alternative hypothesis. Observation of the elements will be undertaken by a research assistant and thereby provide summaries based on checklists which will be consolidated into graphs and charts to determine correlations between the dependent and the independent variables.

Ethical protection of participants

Parents and adolescents that form part of sampling elements under study may be unwilling to disclose information regarding their relations with their parents. One major consideration is to make the results of the findings known to these parents as well as make public the recommendations without bias and exposure of respondents. Respondents’ contributions should be treated in confidentiality.

Furthermore, the purpose of the research should be revealed to the respondents. Respondents will be assured that the information they provide will be strictly used for the basis of research and not be provided to third parties. Lastly, the results of the findings must be communicated to the respondents appropriately and made public to interested stakeholders.

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IvyPanda. (2019, July 1). Different Parenting Styles. https://ivypanda.com/essays/different-parenting-styles/

"Different Parenting Styles." IvyPanda , 1 July 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/different-parenting-styles/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Different Parenting Styles'. 1 July.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Different Parenting Styles." July 1, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/different-parenting-styles/.

1. IvyPanda . "Different Parenting Styles." July 1, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/different-parenting-styles/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Different Parenting Styles." July 1, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/different-parenting-styles/.