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Psychological effects of parenting styles
Beneficial outcomes from helicopter parenting
Psychological effects of parenting styles
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Although children may be born with genetic mechanisms that make them more prone to developing an anxiety disorder, parenting practices determine whether they will grow up to be fearful and dependent, or confident and independent (Schwartz, 2007). An Australian study done in the Centre for Emotional Health, suggests that overprotective and controlling parents, known as “Helicopter Parenting”, play a huge toll on children making them more anxious as they grow up (Sullivan, 2012). During the study, two hundred children were examined in the pre-school age and again five years later; the study found that children with high anxiety levels were more likely to have mothers who help too much. According to review published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, children who grew up with parents that provide inadequate warmth and affection, as well as supreme levels of criticism, were more likely to develop depression and anxiety disorders (Fitzgerald, 2012; Doyle, 2013).
Parents have a tough role raising our world’s next generation. Lori Gottlieb is a psychologist who studied the impact parenting has on children. In her article “How to Land Your Kids in Therapy” Lori explains that when she was in school, she was taught that the worst kind of parenting was when parents neglected their children. Lori then goes on to mention that she has found it increasingly more common to find young adults seeking therapy who had “perfect” parents, but they find themselves unhappy. Parents have adopted a new contemporary style of raising their children; preventing them from growing up with normal human emotions and feelings, which is very destructive to their growth in to adults. These children are just not ready to deal with the real world.
Julie Lythcott-Haims’ article from Slate.com, “Kids of Helicopter Parents Are Sputtering Out,” is a recent article published on July 5 2015. Lythcott-Haims discusses the issues of mental health involving college students. Specifically, she is discussing the possible correlation of strict parental guidance—Helicopter or hovering parents--possibly affecting student’s life skills once they are on their own.
A child needs both of their parents’ love and affection while growing up. A child that grows up with both has a higher chance of being a more stable person. However, not all children have this luxury; some children are born into dysfunctional families that consist of only one parent like the children in the Wingfield family. “A study of 1,977 children age 3 and older living with a residential father or father figure found that children living with married biological parents had significantly fewer externalizing behavioral problems than children living with at least one non-biological parent” (Consequences of Fatherlessness). The absent parent in the Wingfield family affected everyone in the family, not only the children. The absent father,
It is never pleasant to feel anxious or distressed for any reason. However, there are several people who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders as they are very prevalent today. Mental health professionals are helping people overcome hurdles such as panic attacks, severe worry, social anxiety and other specific phobias. I think that anxiety is an emotion that everyone experiences at one time or another in their life. Anxiety can have a negative effect on an individual if it interferes with one’s daily routine and keeps them from doing what they normally do.
Anxiety is a feeling of tension associated with a sense of threat of danger when the source of the danger is not known. In comparison, fear is a feeling of tension that is associated with a known source of danger. I believe it is normal for us to have some mild anxiety present in our daily lives. Everyday that I can think of I have some kind of anxiety though out that day. Anxiety warns us and enables us to get ready for the ‘fight or flight’ response. However, heightened anxiety is emotionally painful. It disrupts a person's daily functioning.
According to Sharp (2012), “anxiety disorders are the most widespread causes of distress among individuals seeking treatment from mental health services in the United States” (p359).
Attachment theory describes the relationship between a child and their primary caregiver. This relationship is thought to be critical for typical development into adulthood – enabling the acquisition of skills in social interaction. Attachment styles include type B (secure), type A (anxious-avoidant), type C (anxious-resistant) and type D (disorganised). As one might hypothesise, insecure attachment (A, C and D) are associated with negative outcomes – such as subsequent psychopathology {Zeanah 2003} and problems with “affect regulation” {Mikulincz 2003} In light of this, research into the aetiology of insecure attachment has been performed with the aim of reducing incidence of this subtype of attachment relationship. Maternal depression has been put forward as a major factor affecting the relationship between parent and child; it is a debilitating disorder affecting all areas of life. With this in mind, an effect on parent/child attachment seems likely.
What if you woke up every morning with a feeling of dread about getting through the day? What if you were constantly in a state of worry? What if you had spontaneous, uncontrollable panic attacks throughout the day? What if you uncontrollably washed your hands to the point where they bled and cracked? What if you had an anxiety disorder? Anxiety is the most common illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults over the age of 18; that counts for 18% of the U.S. population. However, 22.8% of those cases are counted as severe anxiety.
Numerous studies have been conducted that indicate mothers with depression prior to birth and after birth can affect infant development. These include cognitive, behavioral, social, and emotional aspects. This paper will be examining two articles with similar methodologies and various responses displayed in the participants. Both articles take on similar approaches; however, one article examines how less-competent mothers with depression, negatively influences child behavior and the latter takes on the approach that maternal depression is a psychological response to economic pressures leading to negative responses to a child (Newland, Crnic, Cox & Mills-Koonce, 2013, p. 96). Wang and Dix (2013) examine the levels of depression and differences of behavior in depressed mothers and how this further influences a child’s development. This article found that children with depressed mothers that are highly competent and are able to do tasks efficiently and successfully may develop just as well as children with non-depressed mothers (Wang and Dix., 2013, p. 893). Alternatively, another article examines a variety of maternal psychological symptoms arising from early economic pressures and later parenting behaviors (Newland et al., 2013, p. 96). Furthermore, Newland et al. (2013) suggests that as a result of lower socioeconomic status, both depression and anxiety play a negative role in parenting behaviors (p. 96). Overall, this study suggests that economic hardships and pressures have an indirect influence on parents’ caregiving.
Wood, S. Wood, E. Boyd, D. (2014). Mastering the World of Psychology. A. Chow(Ed.). Jersey, NJ: Text.
In this day and age, the media labels overbearing parents as helicopter parents, and the label itself has taken on a negative light due to the guilt by association. The ‘popular’ definition of helicopter parenting come from the ‘extreme’ cases (Jayson 5). The extreme cases in the news are just that, extreme cases; they do not depict helicopter parenting in general, and have been given the name Blackhawks (“Liftoff for ‘Helicopter’ Parents”). The idea of helicoptering has become a misguided ‘negative portrait’ by media using the term and ‘over parenting synonymously’, but the two terms should be used so. They are very different; over parenting is when a parent does not let the child think for themselves (Aucoin). Over parenting and helicopter parenting are not synonyms, but they are not quite antonyms. Helicoptering can become oppressive parents quite easily. Another side of over parenting is the side that ‘expects… immediate compliance’ to orders without giving reasoning. This style can cause below average ‘self-esteem… self-reliance and… social skills’ (McDevitt and Ormrod). The regular helicopter parenting is more common than what would be assumed as a study shows ‘60 to 70 percent’ of college parents have ‘some helicoptering behavior...
Most parents take an interest in their child’s life from birth until they become an adult by picking and choosing what is best for them as much as they possibly can. Parents want to help their children to be as perfect as they can make them. Typically hovering parents spend a lot of money, time, and effort filling schedules things like with dance classes, baseball, and tutoring in order to have a ‘perfect’ child. As well as coming to their aid when they are in need, or their defense when they are in trouble. Help in making important, life changing decisions, like where to go to college at, or which career to pursue. When does helping become hovering? The generation of “Helicopter Parents” is becoming more and more prevalent in families. A helicopter parent is a guardian who is hanging over the head of their college-age son or daughter. Helicopter parents typically do whatever necessary to lead their child to success. This controversy has many suggesting it is actually making a positive impact in the next generation, some think not. I question if the next generation of young people will be able to think for themselves? If so, will the decisions they must make in life be adult decisions? Hovering parents are hurting society more than helping it because the next generation is not learning how to be responsible for their actions and make their own choices.
Helicopter parenting is the term used to describe parents who are overly involved in their child’s lives/decisions, to the point it becomes a detriment for the child. Helicopter parenting can facilitate a child’s over dependence on the parenting system (van Ingen, 2015). Severe cases of helicopter parenting stunts a student’s ability to learn and grow independently. Helicopter parents indirectly communicate to their children, that they are unable to handle their own life. This can cause students to be fearful of making choices on their own, without first receive feedback from their parental figure. Helicopter parenting can also have far-reaching and lasting effects on a child’s psyche,
The article written by Brendan noble talks about the difficult task of being a parent, she explains that parents want the best for their children in order for them to have a well function in society and because they are a minority they can be “marginalized or experience discrimination” (Brenland,2014, 173) the author also presents the idea that parenting styles impact children’s emotional development and overall mental health from the transition of childhood into adulthood .On this article it is stated that the tiger parenting approach has more negative outcomes than positive, it specially has negative effects on the mental health of the youth.
Emotions is a huge part in a child’s life because it is a way they feel about themselves and others. In the article Social competence of elementary-school children: Relationships to maternal authoritativeness, supportive maternal responses and children’s coping strategies by Chan (2010) mentions positive parenting helps children to regulate their emotions. It helps to regulate children emotions with themselves, parents, and others. Chan (2010) explains how one way it helps children to regulate emotions is by parent acceptance, especially with mothers during