When I sat to take my Educational Psychology exam I nailed it, with the exception of one question: defining authoritative and authoritarian parenting. In truth, I knew the definitions but I consistently couldn’t remember which parenting style was which.
The terms along with permissive parenting were coined by clinical psychologist and researcher Diana Baumrind in the 1960s. Authoritarian parenting is in a nutshell, the “my way or the highway approach” which is the opposite of permissive parenting (parents who lack setting limits). Both of these styles have been linked to difficulty with emotional regulation in children and have shown long-term, adverse effects as those children transition to adulthood. In contrast, authoritative parenting is a style which encompasses respect for and curiosity about a child, coupled with limits on certain behaviors. Researchers have since found this to be the healthiest form of parenting, producing the most well-adjusted and successful adults.
However, researchers out of the University of Virginia’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture have recently identified four new parenting styles frequently seen in American homes. The study looked at 3,000 parents across the U.S. and asked them to participate in online surveys and in-person interviews. Of the 3,000 parents surveyed the researchers were able to identify four new terms that categorize American parents: The Faithful, Engaged Progressives, The Detached, and The American Dreamers.
- The Faithful Parent: According to the study, this category is made up of 20 percent of American parents. These are parents who “stick to their religious morality – and parent based on those teachings.” These are parents who include daily rituals such as a prayer at mealtime and attending a weekly service.
Engaged Progressives: Slightly above the Faithful Parent, the Engaged progressives make up 21 percent of American parents. The main focus of this group is teaching their child responsibility and wise choices. This group also tends to emphasize honesty and is generally optimistic about the world and their children’s future.- The Detached: Making up the smallest percentage of parents, these parents take the hands-off parenting approach and “let kids be kids and let the cards fall where they may.” For many of these parents the study found that there were other issues that may be causing this parenting style, including marital issues or stress at work.
- The American Dreamer: The largest of all the categories, the American Dreamers tend to be optimistic about their children’s opportunities and schooling. These are parents who tend to pour themselves fully into their families and into creating the best environment for their children. Parents in this group tend to share their emotions with their children and hope that once their child reaches adulthood they will be friends with their child.
Despite the 3,000 parents polled, many experts have problems with the categories saying they are too specific. Eric Herman, a clinical psychologist at the DMC Children’s Hospital of Michigan said, “I don’t think anyone says, ‘I’m picking a style’” and added that these categorizes may be viewed as a way to generalize people’s overall attitudes about parenting.
Ultimately the new research is not going to replace Baumrind’s, but it may add an additional layer to the onion that is parenting.