Parenting is a different experience for us all but actually psychologists have identified four main types. Do you fit into one of these styles?
Am I doing it right? Why don’t they listen to me? She looks more in control than me. These are questions and observations we will often ask ourselves quietly while at the park or shopping for groceries.
Our parenting experience is filled with doubt just as much as it is filled with pleasure. And, we will judge others too, even if we didn’t mean to. That is just the way life goes – put it down to human nature. But, does this mean one parenting style is the right way over another?
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We asked Dr Alvin Liew, a Singapore Psychiatrist who is trained and credentialed in both Adult & Child/Adolescent Psychiatry to help us out on this one.
“Generally, parenting typologies are “Authoritative”, “Authoritarian”, “Permissive”, and “Neglectful/ disengaged”, Dr Liew calls on one theory of different parenting styles in particular, described originally by American developmental psychiatrist, Diana Baumrind, but which has been expanded by others subsequently.
Here’s an explanation on different parenting styles* according to the psychologists.
Authoritative
- high warmth
- positive/assertive control
- high expectations in adolescence.
This form of parenting for children/adolescence has been associated with more prosocial qualities, academically and socially competent, and with less symptoms of behavioural problems. This is possibly the best of the four types.
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Other types of a relatively worse outcome vs. Authoritative style, are:
- low warmth
- high conflict
- coercive/ punitive control.
This form of parenting has possibly been associated with a worse outcome in children.
Permissive
- high warmth
- low control attempts
Neglectful
- low warmth
- low control
*Reference from Rutter’s Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Text Book.
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Do have anything to add to this article? Do you agree with the different parenting styles? Tell us in the comments below.
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