Parenting Styles Affect Children's Mental Health

Family Facts: BC Council Blog

Parenting Styles Affect Children's Mental Health

Aug 22

by Ruby Banga
Program Coordinator

Can the way you parent really affect your child's mental health?

A recent study of 214 children and their mothers revealed that a good match between the child's personality and parenting styles is a huge factor in reducing the child's risk of depression and anxiety. In situations where parenting styles did not match the child's personality, the study found that children were at twice the risk of experiencing depression and anxiety symptoms.

This University of Washington study, which was published online August 1, in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, followed children starting at grade 3 for a period of 3 years. Annually, trained interviewers visited the moms and kids in their homes to observe the mothers' parenting styles and to evaluate the children's personality traits and levels of depression and anxiety over time as measured by standard questionnaires completed by the kids.

"This study moves away from the one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, and gives specific advice to parents on how to mitigate their child's anxiety and depression," lead author Cara Kiff, a psychology resident at the University of Washington School of Medicine, said in a university news release. "We're considering characteristics that make children vulnerable to anxiety and depression, and factoring in how that shapes how kids react to different parenting approaches."
"We hear a lot about over-involved parents, like 'tiger moms' and 'helicopter parents,'" co-author and psychology professor Liliana Lengua said in the news release. "It is parents' instinct to help and support their children in some way, but it's not always clear how to intervene in the best way. This research shows that parenting is a balance between stepping in and stepping out with guidance, support and structure based on cues from kids."

Find out ways that you can help to support parents in your community, by joining one of our upcoming trainings this Fall: Nobody's Perfect Parenting, My Tween and Me, Home Visitor Training.

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I am grateful for this

I am grateful for this article because it points out that there are many factors that can contribute to mental health issues. My biggest concern here is that parents who have a child that have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder will start to ask themselves, "Oh no. You mean that I am to blame for my child having this problem? My child has this because I am a lousy parent?" The answer is resoundingly "No!"

This reminds me of research that surfaced In the early to mid 1900's that suggested that people who had Schizophrenia had the disorder because of inconsistant parenting styles. Parents were paraded in front of psychologists and were "blamed and shamed". We now understand that although early experiences and inconsistencies in environment may be a contributing factor in some cases, it is only one of a multitude of reasons why someone MAY develop Schizophrenia.

Please, do not assume that because your child has a mental health disorder that is is your fault and that you are a horrible parent. There are many reasons why your child may need help, but don't go straight to blaming yourself. The programs that are supported by the BC Council for Families such as The Mother Goose program and My Tween and Me are very good, beneficial programs that any parent should attend, regardless of how skilled you are as a parent. I believe all of us should become involved in these programs.

Thanks again for the great articles. Lots of stuff to learn about being better as parents.

Submitted by Anonymous on Aug <span class="day">22</span>.

BC Council for Families

Family Facts: BC Council Blog