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Recommendations
on family
problems

1.1 Authoritative parenting

Guideline for family problems / PREVENTING: 1.1 Authoritative parenting

Interventions and evidence explained

Most plausible interventions explained

During the orientation process of the available literature, we were able to identify three interventions, these being:

  • Authoritative parenting
  • Authoritarian parenting
  • Permissive parenting

Authoritative parenting is characterised by having high levels of control and maturity demands, combined with high levels of nurturance. These parents rely more on positive than negative sanctions to gain their child’s compliance and encourage their child to express himself/herself when the child disagrees (Handbook, p. 452).

Authoritarian parents display high levels of control along with low levels of clarity and nurturance. These parents rely on power-assertive forms of discipline. They are less likely than authoritative parents to provide reasons when attempting to alter their child’s behaviour and discourage expressions of the child’s disagreement (Handbook, p. 452).

Permissive parenting is characterised by parents who display low levels of control and maturity demands, combined with higher levels of nurturance. They are less likely than authoritative parents to enforce rules or structure for their child’s activities (Handbook, p. 452).

For the purpose of this PICO question, we compare authoritative parenting with the two other forms of parenting, because authoritative parenting shows a high level of demandingness and nurturance, while the other two parenting styles either have a low level of demandingness or nurturance (Handbook, p. 452).

Selected interventions for comparison (defined as a PICO question)

For children, is authoritative parenting more effective than other forms of parenting, for their well-being?

Search strategy

The databases used are: HeinOnline, Westlaw, Wiley Online Library, JSTOR and Taylor & Francis, Peace Palace Library.
For this PICO question, keywords used in the search strategy are: parenting, upbringing, raising, arrangements, children, development, upgrowing, well-being, divorce.

Assessment and grading of evidence

The main sources of evidence used for this particular subject are:
  • Sanford M. Dornbusch, Philip L. Ritter, P. Herbert Leiderman, Donald F. Roberts and Michael J. Fraleigh, The Relation of Parenting Style to Adolescent School Performance (1987)
  • Fletcher, Steinberg and Sellers, Adolescents’ well-being as a function of perceived interparental consistency (1999)
  • The Handbook of Family Communication, edited by Anita L. Vangelisi, Chapters 9, 20 and 27 (2004)
  • Erlanger A. Turner, Megan Chandler and Robbert W. Heffer, The Influence of Parenting Styles, Achievement Motivation and Self-Efficacy on Academic Performance in College Students (2009)
  • Linda Nielsen, Shared Parenting After Divorce: A Review of Shared Residential Parenting Research, (2011)

Quality of evidence and research gap

These sources are largely based on an RCT and several observational studies. According to the HiiL Methodology: Assessment of Evidence and Recommendations, the strength of this evidence is classified as ‘low’ to ‘moderate’.

Comparison of the interventions

Desirable outcomes of the interventions

For the child’s interest, authoritative parenting by both parents with warmth, support, effective monitoring, control, discipline, positive discussion and responsiveness to children’s needs is essential (Handbook, p. 204). Studies indicate the following:

  • Children of separated parents benefit the most when their father is actively engaged in their lives across a wide range of daily activities and when he has an authoritative rather than permissive or authoritarian parenting style (Nielsen, p. 591)
  • Children are less depressed, were less aggressive and had higher self-esteem when both parents are authoritative (Nielsen, p. 599)
  • Children with at least one authoritative parent have been linked to better academic competence and higher grades (Fletcher, Steinberg and Sellers p. and Dornbusch et al., p. 1256)
  • Children from parents applying an authoritative parenting style do better at school compared to the other parenting styles (Dornbusch et al., p. 1256).
  • A consistent and authoritative parenting style is effective (Afifi, p. 751). Parenting characteristics such as supportiveness and warmth continue to play an important role in influencing a student’s academic performance (Turner et al., p. 343).
  • Authoritative parenting is associated with lower levels of substance abuse for children (Handbook, p. 616)

Parenting characteristics such as supportiveness and warmth continue to play an important role in influencing a student’s academic performance (Turner et al., p. 343).

Undesirable outcomes of the intervention

  • Children from families applying authoritarian or permissive parenting tend to do less well at school compared to the authoritative parenting style (Dornbusch et al., p. 1256 and Turner, p. 338).
  • Parenting styles with controlling contexts (such as the authoritarian parenting style) diminish autonomous motivation and enhance controlled motivation (Turner, p. 339). In other words, the authoritarian parenting style limits the ability of children to make their own choices and control their own life.

Balance of Outcomes

In determining whether the authoritative parenting style is more effective than the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles, the desirable and undesirable outcomes of both interventions must be considered.

The literature suggests that, regarding academic achievement, the authoritative parenting style is in the interest of the child while the authoritarian and permissive parenting styles are not.
The balance of outcomes is in favour of an authoritarian parenting style.

Recommendation

Taking into account the balance of outcomes, the high effect on children’s well-being and the strength of the evidence, we make the following strong recommendation: For children, authoritative parenting is more effective than other forms of parenting for their well-being.

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Table of Contents

1. Recommendations on PREVENTING
1.1 Authoritative parenting
1.2 Limiting the disclosure of inappropriate information
1.3 Limiting their children's exposure to conflict

2.1 Therapeutic approach to adjudication
2.2 Mutually constructive communication

3.1 Generate income
3.2 Problem-solving approach   
3.3 Live in safe homes         
3.4 Providing non-permanent spousal maintenance
3.5 Share the costs of upbringing 

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