Authoritarian Parenting Styles Research Paper
Authoritarian Parenting Style: The Negative Effect On Children
Clarice Moyer
Liberty University
COUN 502-D12
May 11, 2011
Abstract
The Authoritarian Parenting Style is one of four parenting styles used to rear children. Authoritarian Parenting style is described by Feldman (2011) as “parents that are controlling, punitive, rigid, cold. Their word is law, and they value strict, unquestioning obedience……; they do not tolerate expressions of disagreement (p.251).” Because children are unable to explore their own feelings, values and opinions, they, grow up with various negative effects. Some of those effects are anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of social skills and bullying other people. The negative effects, that these children …show more content…
Authoritative parenting style is described by Feldman (2011) as “parents are firm, setting clear and consistent limits…they tend to be strict…they are loving and emotionally supportive. They also try to reason with their children….they encourage their children to be independent (p.251).” Authoritative parents provide structure, strict expectations, however, are loving and supportive of their children. They allow their children to use their reasoning skills by explaining why it is necessary to do certain task or make certain decisions. These parents give their children tools to make great decisions in future transactions of life. Children raised in this environment are “friendly, independent….they have a strong motivation to achieve (Feldman.2011)”. This parenting style takes a guiding approach to our children’s lives. The parents enable them to be independent thinkers therefore they are about to engage their rationalization skills. Based on Feldman (2011) in adolescence there is a transition in the prefrontal cortex where myelination contributes to the adolescences’ ability to reason. Myelination according to Feldman (2011) “is the process in which nerve cell are insulated by a covering of fat cells-increases and continues to make the transmissions of neural messages more efficient (pg, 358).” Adolescence asks more questions …show more content…
In the present study, depressed adolescent mothers were classified by the “parenting styles” defined by Baumrind (1991) as authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, or disengaged based on their behavior during a structured play/compliance task with their toddlers. Few studies have examined interactions that involve toddlers’ compliance with their mothers. In a prior study from our lab, toddlers were seated on a floor while their depressed mothers were instructed to engage the toddler with various toys and then put the toys in a box (Hart, Field, Del Valle & Pelaez-Nogueras, 1998). In that first study, the behavior ratings showed that the toddlers of depressed mothers were less engaged, and showed less positive and more negative affect than the toddlers of non-depressed mothers… Based on depressed mothers’ parenting styles with older children (Susman, Trickett, Ianotti, Hollenbeck, & Zahn-Waxler, 1985) and data on depressive mothers of infants showing withdrawn and intrusive interaction styles (Field, Hernandez-Reif, & Diego, 2006), the depressed mothers in the present study were expected to show either more disengaged or more authoritarian behavior patterns than non-depressed mothers when interacting with their toddlers in the play/compliance session.
Because these children lack affirmation it is likely that
Clarice Moyer
Liberty University
COUN 502-D12
May 11, 2011
Abstract
The Authoritarian Parenting Style is one of four parenting styles used to rear children. Authoritarian Parenting style is described by Feldman (2011) as “parents that are controlling, punitive, rigid, cold. Their word is law, and they value strict, unquestioning obedience……; they do not tolerate expressions of disagreement (p.251).” Because children are unable to explore their own feelings, values and opinions, they, grow up with various negative effects. Some of those effects are anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of social skills and bullying other people. The negative effects, that these children …show more content…
Authoritative parenting style is described by Feldman (2011) as “parents are firm, setting clear and consistent limits…they tend to be strict…they are loving and emotionally supportive. They also try to reason with their children….they encourage their children to be independent (p.251).” Authoritative parents provide structure, strict expectations, however, are loving and supportive of their children. They allow their children to use their reasoning skills by explaining why it is necessary to do certain task or make certain decisions. These parents give their children tools to make great decisions in future transactions of life. Children raised in this environment are “friendly, independent….they have a strong motivation to achieve (Feldman.2011)”. This parenting style takes a guiding approach to our children’s lives. The parents enable them to be independent thinkers therefore they are about to engage their rationalization skills. Based on Feldman (2011) in adolescence there is a transition in the prefrontal cortex where myelination contributes to the adolescences’ ability to reason. Myelination according to Feldman (2011) “is the process in which nerve cell are insulated by a covering of fat cells-increases and continues to make the transmissions of neural messages more efficient (pg, 358).” Adolescence asks more questions …show more content…
In the present study, depressed adolescent mothers were classified by the “parenting styles” defined by Baumrind (1991) as authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, or disengaged based on their behavior during a structured play/compliance task with their toddlers. Few studies have examined interactions that involve toddlers’ compliance with their mothers. In a prior study from our lab, toddlers were seated on a floor while their depressed mothers were instructed to engage the toddler with various toys and then put the toys in a box (Hart, Field, Del Valle & Pelaez-Nogueras, 1998). In that first study, the behavior ratings showed that the toddlers of depressed mothers were less engaged, and showed less positive and more negative affect than the toddlers of non-depressed mothers… Based on depressed mothers’ parenting styles with older children (Susman, Trickett, Ianotti, Hollenbeck, & Zahn-Waxler, 1985) and data on depressive mothers of infants showing withdrawn and intrusive interaction styles (Field, Hernandez-Reif, & Diego, 2006), the depressed mothers in the present study were expected to show either more disengaged or more authoritarian behavior patterns than non-depressed mothers when interacting with their toddlers in the play/compliance session.
Because these children lack affirmation it is likely that