What Parenting Style Is Associated with Child Aggression?

Each parenting style has different effects on children’s growth and development. The parenting styles recommended by psychologists result in children who are emotionally stable and responsible, but other parenting styles result in children who are immature and emotionally unstable.

Furthermore, some parenting styles cause aggressive behavior and general aggression. Such children are victims of parenting styles that are either too lenient and uninvolved or too strict and stringent. Either way, both extremes produce children who cannot be controlled easily and who are too aggressive around their peers.

One such parenting style, according to research, is the indulgent parenting style, also known as permissive parenting.

Characteristics of Permissive Parenting Style

Permissive parents show excessive love toward their children because they are afraid of inflicting pain on their children. All of the children’s needs and wants are provided for, but the parents show no restraint. Permissive parents do not set any limitations for their children, and if they do, they are very inconsistent. They let the children decide what to do and what not to do with minimal or no guidance at all.

Punishment is a rare occurrence because the parents never want to hurt their children. With so few set rules and regulations, the parents do not provide any behavioral expectations for their children at any point. They would rather give their children freedom. In general, permissive parents are more like friends to their children than parental figures.

Permissive Parenting and Aggression

Since children are allowed to do whatever they want whenever they want, it becomes difficult to control them. Any attempt to make them act a certain way only results in aggression. Such children do not have any restraint or patience. Consequently, they are extremely demanding, and if they do not get what they want, they easily turn aggressive.

Permissive parenting also inadequately prepares children for the future. They often end up feeling alone and desolate, which makes them vulnerable to drugs and substance abuse. Their agressive behavior may also continue into adulthood.

Conclusion

This study reveals all the ill effects of permissive parenting, which are backed by psychology. Giving children what they need and want is good only if done with discretion. The effects of indulgent parenting are hard on children and will likely affect them as adults.

References

• Spera, Christopher. “A Review of the Relationship among Parenting Practices, Parenting Styles, and Adolescent School Achievement.” Educational Psychology Review 17, no. 2 (2005): 125–146. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-005-3950-1
• García, Fernando, and Enrique Gracia. “The Indulgent Parenting Style and Developmental Outcomes in South European and Latin American Countries.” In Parenting Across Cultures. Edited by Helaine Selin, 419–433. Dordrecht: Springer, 2014. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7503-9_31