Strict parenting may lead to low self-esteem in kids

Washington: Are you a strict parent? Your child may be at risk of depression! Less supportive and punitive parenting techniques may lead to the development of low self-esteem and school adjustment difficulties in children and leave them vulnerable to depression and problem behaviours, according to a new study.

"Our research shows that Tiger Mother type of parenting, specifically controlling, punitive, and less supportive type of parenting is really not working in this sample of Chinese adolescents," said Cixin Wang, an assistant professor at the University of California, Riverside's Graduate School of

Education.

"It also shows that it is important for Chinese parents, who tend to be less emotionally expressive and use less praise in parenting, to show their approval, love and support for their children," said Wang.

The research was based on data from a youth survey in Hangzhou, China. The sample included 589 middle and high school children. The survey asked the children about their perceptions of the behaviour of their mothers and fathers, as well as their self-esteem, school adjustment, depression and problem behaviour.

Previous research has shown that Chinese parents are less likely to show support for their children through affection. Instead, they express support through efforts to control and govern their youngsters.

Previous research on Western cultures has found that when parents exert strong psychological control over their children it leads to problem behaviour, low self-esteem and low grades among the children. However, the impact of psychological control and strictness in Chinese culture has been less clear.

Wang and her co-authors show the findings from the sample of Chinese students are consistent with those from the Western students. Parental support and monitoring were associated with positive adolescent adjustment, but permissiveness and punitiveness were linked to negative adolescent adjustment.

Psychological control, specifically love withdrawal techniques, did not predict any adolescent outcomes after controlling for other parenting practices, researchers said. The study was published in the Journal of Family Issues.