what are the dimensions that parents take up in their child rearing practices
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Over the last decade, researchers have uncovered relationships between general parenting styles and children's obesity. This is an emerging area of research, and there currently is a great deal of interest in the parent's role. This review was written to provide researchers entering this area with a historical introduction to parenting research and to point to some directions for future inquiry. Over the last 75 years, considerable insight has been gained into individual differences in parenting behavior, especially regarding the dimensions underlying individual differences in general parenting approach, and parenting styles resulting from individual differences on these dimensions. The history of empirical attempts to identify parenting dimensions and styles is reviewed briefly, followed by a review of more recent studies of parenting styles. Next is a discussion of data analytic approaches to measuring parenting, with a particular emphasis on variable-centered versus person-centered approaches. Because investigators have often disagreed about which of these approaches is the most appropriate, the advantages and disadvantages of each are considered, along with recommendations for future research.
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Introduction
For approximately 75 years, researchers have been investigating how individual differences in general parenting practices might influence child development.1–7 Rather than focusing on specific parenting practices (such as breast versus bottle feeding or physical punishment versus time out), these researchers have tried to identify the child development correlates of general, cross-situational variations in general parenting approach, often referred to as parenting styles or dimensions. These studies focused less on what parents do and more on how they do it. One of the main reasons that researchers moved to this approach in the 1930s and 1940s was the failure of studies examining specific early caretaking practices in predicting individual differences in children's social/emotional development.8
The purpose of this article is to review the foundational research on the measurement and identification of parenting dimensions and styles, assess the consistency in findings, and discuss limitations that future research needs to address. Following this is a discussion of data analytic approaches to measuring parenting, with a particular emphasis on variable-centered versus person-centered approaches. Because investigators have often disagreed about which of these approaches is the most appropriate, the advantages and disadvantages of each will be considered, along with recommendations for future research.
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Part I: Identifying Parenting Dimensions
Early Research
Researchers in the 1930s to 1960s, employing a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, used various factor analytic methods to identify the major dimensions underlying observer ratings of general parenting characteristics.1,6,7,9,10 In the typical study, trained observers spent considerable time interviewing or observing parents (or sometimes read through large files of material on parents) and rated parents on general trait terms (e.g., strict, accepting, harsh) using Likert scales. Factor analyses of the data from these primarily European American, middle class samples typically identified two dimensions of parent behavior: One assessing constructs such as parental acceptance, warmth, or support and the other assessing constructs related to parental control. In five classic studies during this time period, the labels for the first factor were: Acceptance versus rejection,7 emotional warmth versus hostility,1 warmth,6 love versus hostility,10 and warmth versus hostility.9 Labels for the second factor in these same five studies were: Dominance versus submission,7 detachment versus involvement,1 permissiveness versus strictness,6 autonomy versus control,10 and permissiveness versus restrictiveness.9 The consistency of findings acros
Go to:
Introduction
For approximately 75 years, researchers have been investigating how individual differences in general parenting practices might influence child development.1–7 Rather than focusing on specific parenting practices (such as breast versus bottle feeding or physical punishment versus time out), these researchers have tried to identify the child development correlates of general, cross-situational variations in general parenting approach, often referred to as parenting styles or dimensions. These studies focused less on what parents do and more on how they do it. One of the main reasons that researchers moved to this approach in the 1930s and 1940s was the failure of studies examining specific early caretaking practices in predicting individual differences in children's social/emotional development.8
The purpose of this article is to review the foundational research on the measurement and identification of parenting dimensions and styles, assess the consistency in findings, and discuss limitations that future research needs to address. Following this is a discussion of data analytic approaches to measuring parenting, with a particular emphasis on variable-centered versus person-centered approaches. Because investigators have often disagreed about which of these approaches is the most appropriate, the advantages and disadvantages of each will be considered, along with recommendations for future research.
Go to:
Part I: Identifying Parenting Dimensions
Early Research
Researchers in the 1930s to 1960s, employing a variety of theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, used various factor analytic methods to identify the major dimensions underlying observer ratings of general parenting characteristics.1,6,7,9,10 In the typical study, trained observers spent considerable time interviewing or observing parents (or sometimes read through large files of material on parents) and rated parents on general trait terms (e.g., strict, accepting, harsh) using Likert scales. Factor analyses of the data from these primarily European American, middle class samples typically identified two dimensions of parent behavior: One assessing constructs such as parental acceptance, warmth, or support and the other assessing constructs related to parental control. In five classic studies during this time period, the labels for the first factor were: Acceptance versus rejection,7 emotional warmth versus hostility,1 warmth,6 love versus hostility,10 and warmth versus hostility.9 Labels for the second factor in these same five studies were: Dominance versus submission,7 detachment versus involvement,1 permissiveness versus strictness,6 autonomy versus control,10 and permissiveness versus restrictiveness.9 The consistency of findings acros
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