What’s your parenting style? (1106)

Different parenting styles can affect how children behave. Researchers have described three parenting styles: autocratic, permissive and respectful. Parents will at one time or another use all three styles, but tend to rely mainly on one approach.

Parents who use the autocratic approach tend to use more punishment and coercive power. They often think giving children power means losing parental power. Studies have shown that adolescents parented this way often rebel or try to hard to please adults. They exhibit lower competence and are more likely to abuse drugs.

Parents who use the permissive or "door mat" style give up the power that comes with the parental role. Children gain too much power and also exhibit low competence and high substance use in adolescence.

Parents who use the respectful parenting style look at power as an opportunity to learn. Children are provided age-appropriate opportunities to learn how to do things for themselves. Children feel they have control and feel a strong sense of responsibility for their behavior. These adolescents have a high competence level and lower substance abuse.

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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