Module 4 - L6&7 - Parenting Styles

Assessment of Parenting Style (2 dimensions)

Warmth

• Parent takes time to explain WHY (how what kid does affects other’s emotions)

• Provides encouragement

• Parent is involved in child’s life

Control

• Parent sets limits

• Parent monitors child’s whereabouts

Authoritative (definition)

high warmth, high control

• Balance

• Nurture

• Clear expectations & boundaries

• Values their opinions

• open communication

• structure, support, and guidance

OUTCOMES:

• independence

• individuality

Authoritarian (definition)

low warmth, high control

• complete obedience

• discipline

• desire for control and adherence to rules

• stifles autonomy and individuality

OUTCOMES:

• struggle with making decisions

• lack confidence

• struggle to express thoughts and feelings

Permissive (definition)

high warmth, low control

• lots of love

• few boundaries

• no guidance or structure

• freedom

OUTCOMES:

• struggles in self-control & respecting authority

• challenges setting & achieving goals

Uninvolved (definition)

low warmth, low control

• don’t prioritise child’s interests or achievement

OUTCOMES:

• Low self-esteem

• Emotional instability

• Challenge building connections

Authoritative (Consequences/Outcomes)

• MOST POSITIVE OUTCOMES of the 4

• self-confident

• self-controlled

• better academic success

• greater social functioning

• Fewer problems with the law

Authoritarian (Consequences/Outcomes)

• poor self-reliance

• poor self-esteem

• May be anxious, withdrawn, and unhappy

• may be angry and defiant

• rebellion

Permissive (Consequences/Outcomes)

• poorer academic performance

• greater deviance

• good social competence

• self-confident

• difficulties with impulse control

Uninvolved (Consequences/Outcomes)

• poorer academic performance

• greater deviance

• poorer social competence

• poorer self-esteem

Hoeve et al. (2009) - Parenting Style correlations with Delinquency

Authoritative

• NEGATIVE correlations

• Less likely to be delinquent

Authoritarian

• POSITIVE correlations

• More likely to be delinquent

Authoritarian Parenting (Outcomes & related risks)

• unhealthy eating

• obesity (pressure to eat good foods leads to opposite habits)

• insecure attachments to mother

• overt aggression

• relational aggression

• worse coping

• greater anxiety

• smoking

Prediction of Parenting Style

• how parents feel about themselves

• quality of relationship with their own parents

• role in family of origin

Accounts for 40-45% of variants

Life Stressors

• Poverty

  • lack patience to be a good parents

• Unemployment

  • Financial uncertainty

• Divorce

  • Arguing is bad for kids

Parenting that HELPS kids

• explanation

• goal-setting and consequences (child involvement)

• Time out

• Distraction

• Positive behaviour modelling and reinforcing

• Ignoring negative behaviours

• Anger management for parents

• Helping children take responsibility for actions (e.g. paying for window they broke)

• Reasonable expectations

Child’s Characteristics Influence Parenting Style

e.g. when a child is having an irrational meltdown, it is hard to be the best parent

OR
e.g. child is laughing delightfully, easy to be a good parent

• parents of difficult children = more controlling and less warm as a consequence of the challenges their child offers

• children at genetic risk for antisocial behaviour = more negative parenting

Maternal Sensitivity

• Maternal sensitivity at 4 mos. = secure bond of infant to mother at 1 year

• infant’s behaviour at 4 mos. also related to mother sensitivity

• mother-child bond affected by both

Maternal Sensitivity (parent intervention)

• interventions

  • access to community services

  • information (how to touch and be sensitive to baby)

ENHANCED:

• sensitive parenting

• mother-child bond

LONG-TERM EFFECTS

• 16 week discussion group, positive effects in 6-year follow up

  • school adjustment and academic achievement

Prison in the US

• emphasis on PUNISHMENT

• Highest incarceration rate worldwide

• 1 out of every 151 people in prison

• cost = $80 billion

• cost = $60.61/person

“tough on crime” is a political slogan that is proven to get people to vote for you

Prison in New Zealand

• similar to US in response to inmates & housing

• Māori are over-represented

  • 1 in 142 Māori in prison

  • 1 in 808 non-Māori in prison

    • prejudice in judicial system (Māori more likely to be committed for same crime)

    • Poverty

Prison in Norway

Since 1990s: FOCUS ON REHABILITATION

• 1/2000 people in prison in Norway (low)

• Cost = $48.79 per person

• Officers not guards

  • role models, coached, mentors

• Training is 203 years

• Restriction of liberty (freedom) but all other rights are intact (including voting rights)

• 60% are closed

incarceration rates lower than rest of Europe and US

• Cost is more per inmate than US (nicer prisons)

• Cost per person is less (less people in prison_

Recidivism (Re-incarceration after leaving prison)

NZ = highest rates (56%) - over half

Norway = 20%

Norway v Canada

• Norway’s rates dropped massively

• Canada remained

Why do Norwegian prison work?

• US = control and punish

• Norway = control BUT with respect for inmates and REHABILITATE

• same as parenting styles:

  • US = authoritarian

  • Norway = authoritative

Authoritarian parenting doesn’t work and nor do US/UK/NZ prisons

Boot Camps

• Military style camps

• Discipline, hard work

• extreme punishments

They are not effective. Make no difference in Re-Imprisonment

Koehler et al. (2012) - Examined programs for young offenders in Europe

Behavioural

• teach thinking skills

• social skills

• problem solving

• reinforcement of behavioural change

Non-Behavioural

• vocational training (e.g. carpentry)

• restorative justice (pay back crime to society)

• probation support

Intensive Supervision and Deterrance

• boot camps

• control-based supervision

• amplified sanctions (punishment)

CONCLUSIONS:

• boot camps and control-based programs were completely ineffective if not BAD

Victoria University on re-introduction of boot camps in NZ

Why?

• “tough on crime” politicians

• Appeal to common sense

• “improvements will be made”

Death Penalty

• Death penalty does not drop crime rates

• Usually crime of passions, does not occur to offender in moment

Conclusions on Parenting Styles & Punishment types

• Coercive (authoritarian) parenting = no good outcomes

• Coercive approaches (prisons, youth offenders) = no good outcomes

• Children & Adults respond to being treated with respect and dignity