the effects of authoritative parenting apa 1e

Running head: THE EFFECTS OF AUTHORATATIVE PARENTING 1

The Effects of Authoritative Parenting on the Socioemotional Development

of Toddlers

THE EFFECTS OF AUTHORITATIVE PARENTING

Abstract

The effects of authoritative parenting are influencing in the toddler years of a

child’s development. Because the toddler years are a time of great cognitive, emotional

and social development, it is imperative that parents develop a quality relationship with

their child. Authoritative parenting, a preferred parenting style, provides an adequate

balance between a positive and nurturing experience and the product of high expectations

with clear set guidelines. These conditions are best suited to facilitate the proper

development of a child’s socioemotional proficiency. While children with well-developed

socioemotional skills are more apt to express their ideas and feelings, display empathy

towards others, and succeed in school, the opposite holds true for children who fail to

develop those skills. Scholarly research further emphasizes on the significance of fine-

tuned socioemotional skills, sometimes defining healthy social-emotional development in

young children as early childhood mental health.

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The Effects of Authoritative Parenting on the Socioemotional Development of

Toddlers

The modern era has seen parents, guardians, and caretakers take on the idea that

children require adult guidance during the early stages of their development. Of these

stages in child development, the toddler years produce what can be best thought of as a

mini-protégé. These years make up the transition from infancy to preschool and mark the

time where children become aware of themselves, their surroundings, and learn to deal

with the issues they face. New experiences are part of the socioemotional development of

children and are greatly influenced by the quality of the relationships that they develop

with their parents. Often times, the degree to which the child develops their

socioemotional skill is based on the primary caregiver’s approach to parent the child. As

researchers put it, “[e]arly interactions with parents play a central role in children’s

socioemotional development, as these experiences serve as the foundations for children’s

regulatory functioning” (Razza, Martin, and Brooks-Gunn, 2012). Because of this, we

can associate a child’s behavior to their parent’s. Depending on the style of parenting

used to raise the child, we can predict the general behavior of a child in to adulthood. A

child who exhibits self-regulation, or lack thereof, is the therefor the product of positive

or negative parental interaction. For this reason, it would behoove one to deal with a

toddler’s—who is just now developing his/her socioemotional skills—behavior properly

the first time in order to better serve them in the future. While many parenting styles

exist, the one most associated with well-developed and successful children is the

authoritative approach (Fletcher, Steinberg, and Sellers, 1999). Baumrind (1966)

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describes an authoritative parent as “[one] who attempts to direct the child’s activities in

a rational, issue-oriented manner.” The authoritative parent “encourages verbal give and

take, shares with the child reasoning behind [their] policy, and solicits the child’s

objections when [they] refuse to conform” (Baumrind, 1966). The exact methods an

authoritative parent adopts to interact with their toddler will have a long-lasting effect on

them through childhood and adulthood in developing socioemotional proficiency.

The authoritative approach is about setting guidelines while reasoning with the

child to appropriately respond to their needs. Refer to it as the Goldilocks gambit, the

style is most common amongst the middle class and described by Baumrind as the “just

right” method (Baumrind, 1966). The authoritative parent falls somewhere between

permissive and totalitarian. Much like the permissive parent, they are responsive, positive

and nurturing. However, when appropriate, they set strict rules and have high

expectations of their child—just like the totalitarian parent. Authoritative parenting is

very much unlike the neglectful parent, where neither nurture nor demand is given to the

child. Parents who utilize the authoritative style are efficient at catering to the needs of

their child’s development, but encourage independence, self-awareness, and

responsibility. In sum, authoritative parents are both highly responsive and very directive

(Maccoby and Martin, 1983).

Children whose caregiver’s parenting style is authoritative are less likely to

experience depression, anxiety, and anti-social behavior. Research has shown that these

children may also report less aggression and relationship problems during the early

school years (Choe, Olson, Sameroff, 2013; Yamagata, 2013). While these studies only

reflect short-term results, one report that surveyed two hundred sixty-two college students

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showed that those whose parents were authoritative answered that they were less likely to

succumb to peer-influence. Instead, the authoritatively reared students revealed that their

parents were more likely to influence their decisions (Bednar and Fisher, 2003). In

another study, adults whose fathers utilized the totalitarian approach to raise them during

childhood were more likely to become aggressive towards their peers (Russell, Hart,

Robinson, and Olsen 2003). These studies support the long-term positive effects of

authoritative nurturing during a child’s toddler years—when they are most malleable.

The toddler years are a time of much change for children. While parenting styles

affect the socioemotional development of children, it can also affect other aspects of their

overall mental health. Child development suggests the toddler years are not only when

children begin to truly develop their socioemotional skills, but also their social cognitive

ones (Miller, 2010). Social cognitive theory postulates that people, in this case, toddlers,

learn from others based on observation. It is founded on the process of learning directly

correlated to the observation of models. The models can range from parents to teachers,

and even sometimes media. It does not have to be direct; rather, it has to be observed.

Effective representation teaches general principles and strategies for dealing with various

circumstances (Bandura, 1988). For example, a child’s way of thinking may change

based on behavior that he witnessed. Depending on the substance of the observation, they

will reflect on their experience later in life. A child whose father employs the totalitarian

method to raise him/her may grow up to meet the high expectations his/her father set.

However, the child will not exhibit adequate interpersonal skills because totalitarian

parents are characterized by harsh punishment, strict rules, and little warmth. The child

will not possess “people skills.” Most children raised in a totalitarialistic home have a

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high level of self-efficacy. On the contrary, a child whose parents are permissive will not

exhibit proficiency in discipline nor self-regulation. They observe behavior that only

responds to their needs, thus, they only respond to their needs and reflect egocentric

ideals. Most children who are raised permissively have a low sense of awareness.

However, because authoritative parenting falls on a balance of these two principals, a

parent who raises their child authoritatively will accomplish two things: (a) they will

succeed in developing their child’s self-efficacy (b) they will succeed in developing their

child’s awareness of others (Miller, 2010). A child who has both high self-efficacy and a

high level of awareness is more likely to believe that they can overcome challenging

problems and they can recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments (Bandura,

1988). During the toddler years, these setbacks can range from learning how to walk o

and/or learning how to eat independently. Authoritative parenting expedites the learning

process because it provides for the child while allowing them to learn independently. It

has a positive effect on a child’s social cognitive development during the toddler years.

While an increase in social cognitive development in toddlers will almost always

have a positive effect on their mental health, too much social cognition at a later age can

result in a child comparing themselves to others. This can be at a disadvantage to the

child’s mental health as they enter a stage of self-disapproval and disappointment.

In essence, parenting styles can be a roll of loaded dice, with certain parenting

styles being better than others, however, none guaranteed. Authoritative parenting finds a

middle ground between the responsive/demanding parenting styles and completely

disregards the negligent ones. The authoritative approach provides developing children

with the guidance they need to grow into successful individuals. Particularly, the toddler

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years provide parents with the perfect window of time to aid a child in development.

They are a time of great cognitive, emotional and social development, and thus, it would

be incumbent on a parent to take the opportunity in order to benefit their child’s mental

health. The authoritative style addresses children’s socioemotional and social cognitive

development by way of reason. Children with well-developed socioemotional and social

cognitive skills are able to face and overcome challenges, display empathy towards

others, and solve problems effectively. In conclusion, research supports that the effects of

properly employed authoritative parenting can be beneficial to a child’s overall mental

health.

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References

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Journal of Management, 13(2), 275–302.

Baumrind, D. (1966). EFFECTS OF AUTHORITATIVE PARENTAL CONTROL ON

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Bednar DE and Fisher TD. 2003. Peer referencing in adolescent decision making as a

function of perceived parenting style. Adolescence. 38(152):607-21.

Choe, D., Olson, S., & Sameroff, A. (n.d.). The interplay of externalizing problems and

physical and inductive discipline during childhood. Developmental Psychology,

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Fletcher, A., Steinberg, L., & Sellers, E. (1999). Adolescents' Well-Being as a Function

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development (4th ed., pp. 1-101). New York: Wiley

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[online]. Montreal, Quebec: Centre of Excellence for Early Childhood Development;

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Russell, A., Hart, C., Robinson, C., & Olsen, S. (2003). Children's Sociable and

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toddler

the effects of authoritative parenting apa 1e

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