How Parents Promote Children’s Well-Being Eva M. Pomerantz

Think to the Future What Attributes Would You Like to Foster in Your Child? How Would You Do It?

Parents as Shapers Parenting Child Well Being

Major Dimensions of Parenting Structure Autonomy Support Affect

Structure Setting Limits Monitoring Guidance Scaffolding

Structure Predicts... Decreased –Aggression –Delinquency Increased –Positive Peer Relations –Achievement

Autonomy Support Autonomy-Supportive –Allow Exploration of Environment –Permit Initiation of Own Behavior Independent Problem Solving Encourage Generation of Own Strategies Controlling –Pressure to Meet Outcome –Regulate Behavior Commands Directives Orders Love Withdrawal

Autonomy Support Predicts... Decreased –Extrinsic Motivation –Helplessness –Depression –Aggression Increased –Intrinsic Motivation –Mastery –Achievement –Positive Peer Relations

Affect Positive –Warm and Loving –Supportive –Encouraging –Enjoy Interactions Negative –Hostile –Criticizes –Annoyed and Frustrated

Positive Affect Predicts... Decreased –Extrinsic Motivation –Helplessness –Depression –Aggression Increased –Intrinsic Motivation –Mastery –Positive Emotional Functioning –Achievement

What Should a Parent Do? Authoritative Parenting –Provide Structure –Support Autonomy –Maintain Positive Affect Benjamin and Garrison

Children as Shapers Child Well-Being Parenting

It Takes a Parent and a Child Parenting Child Well Being Child Attributes

Mothers’ Affect Depends on Children’s Helplessness Guiding Hypothesis Mothers’ Affect –Positive Affect on Days Assisted with Homework Children’s Helplessness –Mother, Teacher, and Child Reports Children’s Well-Being –Children Complete Questionnaires

Mothers’ Affect Depends on Children’s Helplessness

Summary Be an Authoritative Parent –Provide Structure –Support Autonomy –Maintain Positive Affect It’s Not Just the Parent –The Effects of Parenting Depend on What Children Bring –Parental Sensitivity to Children’s Attributes