Parenting Styles in Different Cultures Essay

P benting title is one of few factors that potently capture nestling development. Ones choice of parenting port is close often molded by their ethnic background. American parents drug ab subprogram a myriad of parenting bearings, altogether of which throw away their roots in varied cultural beliefs ab fall out which method is best to tog out a child. In 1971, clinical and develop psychological psychologist, Diana Baumrind, recognized three different categories of parenting rooms that she believed described close parents methods (Berger, 2011). Parents who fell into the potentate movement of parenting pin down high standards and unrelenting rules for their children. noncompliance was non tolerated and was met with harsh consequences, often physical. The supercilious parent rarely showed estimation or concern for their childrens emotional needs. On the separate emplacement of the spectrum was a bailable zeal of parenting that was characterized by no boun daries or discipline, save did include a lot of maternal elaborateness and eye.Authoritative parenting was the tercet style Baumrind identified. She believed this style produced the approximately happy, well-adjusted, and successful children and adolescents (Baumrind, 1971). An influential parent facility high clear standards for their children. They respected their childrens opinions and concerns and offered plenty of support and encouragement. This style is often referred to as the balanced or democratic style. Later a intravenous feedingth category was added by Maccoby and martin, who recognized a creaky parenting style (Berger, 2011 Maccoby & deoxyadenosine monophosphate Martin, 1983). The neglectful parent provided for the basic needs of their children, but nobody else.This style snarly no demands, boundaries, emotional support, guidance or affection. The get under ones skin and father that utilized this method basically detached from their children. While these 4 categories are still wide intentd today to classify the tokens of parenting, more(prenominal) juvenile studies indicate that the results of Baumrinds research are non culturally universal. Parenting styles developed on mating American s vitamin Ales cannot be simply translated to separate cultures, but instead must reflect their sociocultural contexts (Chao, 1994). This theme leave alone further research the variability of effective parenting styles across cultures and explore some of the reasons for these variations.Based on the results of initial research and subsequent studies, Baumrind was a quick advocator of the authoritative parenting style claiming that it was the most successful of the parenting types in producing a positive child outcome (Baumrind, 1971). Authoritarian parenting tended to raise children who per hammered well academically and had a rugged involvement in fuss behavior. However, they also had poorer amicable skills, littleer self-esteem, an d higher levels of depression (Darling, 1999). In contrast, while permissive parenting tended to raise children who had higher levels of self-esteem and were better socialized, they didnt perform well in school and exhibited more problem behavior (Baumrind, 1991). Children raised by neglectful parents had the most negative results, with poor academic performance, low self-esteem, and high involvement in problem behavior (Baumrind, 1991).For years these results were extrapolated and generalized to describe all families and, although her work continues to be influential (Berger, 2011), many recent studies be possessed of shew Baumrinds conclusions regarding the success and failure rate of each of the parenting styles to be wrong when applied to a broader population. This is primarily due to her ethnocentric research trope (Chao, 1994). The demographic for Baumrinds study sample consisted of 100 preschool children that were mainly of white, European-American, lower-middle-class fa milies in California (Berger, 2011). Influential variables such as culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, family size, religion, and the undivided temperaments of both parent and child were not controlled or accounted for. If they were, very different results would have been effectuate because each culture has different goals, values, and expectations of their citizens. Thus, the children will be socialized under different conditions. Authoritarian and permissive parenting styles utilized in select cultures outside of the European-American context exemplify this.Criticized by many westerlyers for its bad weather and controlling approach, authoritarian parenting has show more success in Asian and Arab cultures (Grusec, Rudy, & Martini, 1997 Dwairy et al., 2006). In Asian cultures, which would include the Chinese, Vietnamese, Koreans, Japanese, etc., Confucian principles are strongly embraced, and therefore, pro provely shape social relationships and moral ethics. In parti cular, Confucius stressed that a person should respect and obey authority without question, and to seize every luck to learn and perfect oneself (Chao, 1994). Rooted in this philosophy, Asians have chosen to use a very strict, controlling, and restrictive approach to parenting. Recently adding fuel to the look that Asians authoritarian parenting style is harsh, oppressive, and sometimes even cruel, is the moot book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom, by Amy Chua (2011), a Professor of truth at Yale Law School.Chuas book shares her experiences raising her two daughters the Chinese way. Some of her memoirs describing her authoritarian paternal tactics were viewed by the American reality as disturbing. Chua (2011) shares that she never allowed her daughters to have a play date, be in a school play, attend overnights, date boys, attend school dances, absorb TV or movies, or make any grade little than an A in school. Furthermore, she required her girls to be number one in every class, dr illed them daily in Math and Chinese, and do them practice violin and piano three hours a day. Chua recognizes that she was intentionally very strict like most traditional Chinese families, but she was very involved and loving as well. Chua admits to threatening, yelling, and even calling her children degrading names at times in order to motivate them.She believes that most Westerners cringe at this type of parenting approach because they are interpreting her methods based on Western culture instead of Chinese culture. What Asian parents and children recognize as a training environment, Westerners interpret as a controlling one. Ruth Chao (1994), from the University of California, points out a critical difference between Western and Asian authoritarian parenting. The Western version described by Baumrind, emphasizes an absolute standard of engage from children without excuseing, listening, or providing emotional support (Baumrind, 1971). Chao (1994) describes authoritarian parenti ng as, encompassing a set of standards of conduct enforced by parents and the community. These standards are imposed not to predominate the child, but rather to assure familial and societal goals of harmonious relations with others and the integrity of the family unit.Based on these different interpretations of authoritarian parenting, it is apparent wherefore the two cultures results are so dissimilar. Among European-Americans, the style is associated with parental hostility and dominance (Martnez, 2008). But for most Asian children, parental bow and sternness is usually interpreted as parental concern, caring, and involvement, motivated by their parents belief that they are capable of excelling (Chao, 1994). Because they know loved and supported by their parents, Asian children have higher self-esteem when raised with the authoritarian style than do European-American adolescents (Chao, 1994). Similarly, some studies have shown that in Arab societies, authoritarian parenting i s not associated with low self-esteem or other negative effects on adolescents mental health as it is in Western societies (Dwairy, Achoui, Abouserie, & Farah, 2006).The permissive or indulgent parenting style is often considered too lax by the European-American culture. They found that with this approach children and adolescents were more likely to be involved in problem behavior and perform slight well in school, but they had a higher self-esteem, better social skills, and lower levels of depression (Darling, 1999). Like authoritarian parenting however, permissive parenting has found more success outside of the European-American culture. For example, in a research study designed to establish which parenting style is associated with optimum young person outcomes among adolescents of Spanish families, the results found indulgent parenting to be the best approach in the Spanish cultural context (Garca & Gracia, 2009). This study attributed permissive parentings high success r ate in Spain and Italy to the styles compatibility with their horizontal collectivist culture (Garca & Gracia, 2009). even sovietism perceives the self as a part of the joint and tallys all members of the collective as the same thus equality is stressed (Singelis et al., 1995). Therefore, parenting styles that lack a hierarchal parent-child relationship, are low in strictness, and high in affection work best. In their study, Garca and Gracia (2009) found that Spanish adolescents raised by indulgent parents had higher self-esteem, were more socialized, and performed well in school. Garca and Gracia (2009) think that the most successful parenting style was determined by a nations culture type, based on the dimensions of equality value and scholarship of self. The findings of other research studies seem to support this conclusion. Martnez and Garca (2008) conducted a similar study in Brazil, another horizontal collectivist culture, and found that permissive parenting was favore d there as well.Another study in Mexico found that authoritative and permissive parenting had equally positive outcomes (Martnez, Garca, & Yubero, 2007). Garca and Gracia (2009) use their theoretical idea to account for the variance of preferred parenting styles across cultures, stating In a cultural context, such as Spain, which has been described as horizontal collectivistic, egalitarian rather than hierarchal relations are emphasized, and strictness in parental practices would not have the positive meaning they would have in other contexts such as the United Statescharacterized by good individualismor Asian culturescharacterized by vertical collectivism. This statement would explain the success of strict authoritarian parenting in Asiatic and Arab countries and authoritative parenting in the United States.Neglectful or degage parenting is the least successful parenting style in European-American culture (Berger, 2011 Darling, 1999). In fact, it is universally viewed as a per nicious approach to child development (Darling, 1999). A child who receives the message that they are worthless or unloved is going to have very low self-esteem and suffer from weak social skills. Very often, children with uninvolved parents pessary relying on their parents and try to provide for themselves so they get int feel the sting of rejection and disappointment. A study by Maccoby and Martin (1983) researched adolescents between the ages of 14-18 in four areas psychological development, school achievement, internalized distress, and problem behavior. Their results concluded that adolescents from homes with neglectful or uninvolved parents scored the lowest in all areas (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Another more recent study performed at Brigham-Young University indicated that teens from homes that provided accountability and warmth were least prone to sedate drinking (Bahr & Hoffmann, 2010). This does not fair well for children raised by the neglectful approach because both warmth and accountability are absent.Although authoritative parenting isnt as generalizable as Baumrind once thought, it is still more widely successful across cultures than any of the other styles. Many of the studies mentioned in this paper found that, if authoritative parenting was not the most successful in producing a positive child outcome, then it was almost always the second most effective. This was the case among Arab, Asian, Spanish, Brazilian, and Mexican adolescents (Grusec et al., 2007 Dwairy et al., 2006 Garca & Gracia, 2009 Martnez & Garca, 2008 Martnez et al., 2007). However, the United States isnt the only country in which authoritative parenting outranks the other styles in producing a positive child outcome. Research has shown that Great Britain finds this parenting type most effective as well.One study, conducted by Tak Wing Chan (2011) from Oxford University, found that British children raised in authoritative homes were associated with high self-este em and well-being, and were less likely to engage in problem behavior, such as smoking, drinking, fighting, or have friends who used drugs. Additionally, when compared to those from permissive and authoritarian families, authoritative-raised adolescents made higher grades and stayed in school longer (Chan & Koo, 2011). The cut also seem to advocate an authoritative style of parenting. In the recent book by Pamela Druckerman entitled, rescue Up Bb, a work that people have been calling the next Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom, the author explained French methods for parenting (Kingston, 2012).During an interview, Druckerman said of French parenting that, its a balance between what North Americans view as old-school parenting where parents have a lot of authority, and a a good deal more modern form of parenting where they speak to children and listen to them but dont feel they must do everything children say (Kingston, 2012). This description for sure falls in to Baumrinds definiti on of authoritative parenting. In a study of French adolescents regarding parenting style and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana, researchers found that adolescents whose parents provided both parental control and emotional support were less likely to partake in activities involving those substances (Choquet et al., 2008).While this paper could continue on and on, its point has clearly been made that culture plays a large factor in determining the most effective parenting style. Based on the information gathered, one can see that Baumrinds conclusion declaring the authoritative style as the best form of parenting cannot be accurately applied to all families across all cultures.It is not as simple as translating her model of parenting to fit other cultural contexts, because each culture has a different set of values, ideologies, history, and goals. Behaviors are not interpreted in the same way. Even in the United States, Brauminds model does not always fit. For example, low s ocioeconomic status is associated with a more strict authoritarian style (Berger, 2011). African-Americans are also associated with more parental control and blended families bring in multiple parenting styles. As demonstrated by Americans criticisms toward Asian parenting, it is important to not stereotype other cultures parenting approaches because they might not be accurately interpreted.ReferencesBahr, S.J., Hoffmann, J.P. (2010). Parenting style, religiosity, peers, and adolescent heavy drinking. diary of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 71(4), 539-543. Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology Monographs, 4(1, cave in 2). Baumrind, D. (1989). Rearing competent children. Child development today and tomorrow (p. 349-378). San Francisco Jossey-Bass. Baumrind, D. (1991). The influence of parenting style on adolescent competence and substance abuse. Journal of azoic Adolescents, 11, 56-95. Berger, K. (2011). 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