Studying Dimensions of Parenting Styles Aids in Child Development

rents influence the development of social andpsychological control. This means an attempt to
instrumental competence of their children is thecontrol that intrude into the psychological and
subject of study of many developmentalemotional development of the offspring via
psychologists who have been doing so since theparenting practices such as guilt induction, taking
1920s. Parenting style is one of the most robustaway of love or shaming the child.
approaches in this respect, and it is well knownThe psychological dimension of parenting styles is
that parenting can be quite complicated in that ita key difference between the authoritarian and
includes specific behaviors that can individually asauthoritative parenting style because both these
well as collectively influence child outcomes.parenting behaviors place high demands on the
Capture Normal Variations in the Attempts Madechild, and there is a corresponding expectation
to Control Childrenthat the child will behave appropriately and obey
The dimensions of parenting style need to beparents and the rules they enforce. The
differentiated, and any construct of parentingdimensions of parenting style are warmth or
styles should be able to capture normal variationsacceptance or responsiveness, firmness or
in the attempts made by parents to control asdemandingness or behavioral control, and
well as socialize their children. There are tworestrictiveness or psychological control, and four
dimension of parenting behavior that pertains togeneral sets of child adjustment indicators are
whether the parents are strict or controlling orstudied in relation to each dimension of parenting
permissive in which a great deal of autonomy isstyle that include psychosocial development,
allowed, or whether the parents are responsiveschool achievement, internalized distress and
as well as accepting or rejecting and unresponsive.problem behavior.
Depending on the dimensions of parenting styles,According to studies conducted on different
they can be classified as authoritarian,dimensions of parenting styles, it has been found
authoritative, or permissive, and the lastthat children as well as adolescents generally
mentioned dimension is further categorized asrespond well when the parents are warm, firm as
permissive neglectful and permissive indulgent.well as non-restrictive. So, the different
Each of these dimensions of parenting stylesdimensions of parental styles play a crucial role in
gives rise to naturally occurring patterns such asdetermining how the child fares because often
parental values, practices and behaviors.child development is governed by high levels of
There is also another dimension of parenting styleone particular type of control as well as related
that is often overlooked, which is that ofpsychological factors.