Parenting Styles

Why are parenting styles important? Psychologists have been always been interested in how parents impact child development. They study what effects the different parenting styles have on children.

What are the four parenting styles? Authoritarian Authoritative Permissive/Indulgent Uninvolved/Neglectful

Authoritarian Children are expected to follow strict rules established by the parents. Failure to follow rules results in harsh punishment. Usually, parents don’t give reasons why the rules exist.

Authoritative Also have rules and guidelines the children are expected to follow However, parents are more willing to listen to children and their questions When rules are broken, parents tend to be more nurturing and forgiving than punishing.

Permissive/Indulgent Parents have very few demands Parents rarely discipline children Parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, but they tend to take on the friend role than the parent role

Uninvolved/Neglectful Parents have few demands and don’t communicate much with their children Most parents still provide basic needs (uninvolved), but are detached from their child’s life In extreme cases, parents are neglectful and don’t even provide their child with the basic needs