Do some parental disciplinary styles relate to better developmental outcomes than others? Discuss

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Yes, absolutely. This question focuses on research by Diane Baumrind and others on styles of parenting. Parenting style is a factor for which parents have voluntary choices. Originally, Baumrind identified three parenting style categories: authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative; a fourth, neglectful/uninvolved, was eventually added. These four parenting categories represent all combinations of two dimensions: acceptance/rejection and demandingness/control. Based on observational rating data, families were classified into one of the four categories. Negative outcomes relate to three of the categories: children in authoritarian families are moody, unhappy, and aimless, and children from permissive families are impulsive, bossy, and aggressive. The worst outcomes are for neglected children who are reared by uninvolved parents. Neglected children do poorly in school, are disorderly, and likely to become delinquent as they mature. The very best outcomes are found for children from authoritative families: they are high in cognitive and social competencies, and perform at the top in their school. These generalizations, of course, have exceptions. Overall, the best outcomes relate to authoritative parenting, and the worst relate to neglectful/uninvolved parenting. Parents should discuss this issue and agree between themselves which style will be applied consistently.