PARENTING POWER of

How Authoritative Parenting Style Promotes Better Mental Health in Children

DR TRUPTI SHIROLE cityfirst@firstindia.co.in

How different parenting styles can affect children's mental health has been explained by a recent study published in the scientific journal Molecular Psychiatry. The study examined the relationship between parenting styles and the ers from the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Nestor LopezDuran. The team recruited 106 adolescents aged between 11 and 17 years and asked them to complete questionnaires that assessed their parents' parenting styles. The study then used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the adolescents' brain activity while they were exposed to a stressor.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF PARENTING STYLES

The study found that parenting styles can have a significant impact on children's mental health. The researchers identified four distinct parenting styles:

HIGHLIGHTS

■ Parenting styles significantly impact children's mental health, with an authoritative parenting style being linked to better stress regulation and a lower risk of developing anxiety and depression

■ The study found that an authoritarian parenting style can increase the risk of mental health problems by causing poor stress regulation

■ The findings of the study have important implications for parents and mental health professionals in promoting better mental health outcomes for children

AUTHORITARIAN PARENTING

Parents who are strict and enforce rules without being responsive to their children's needs.

PERMISSIVE PARENTING

Parents who are warm and re- had lower levels of activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain that is involved in the stress response, compared to those who reported having authoritarian, permissive or neglectful parents. Lower amyg- help their children develop better stress regulation, which can protect them from developing mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. On the other hand, parents who adopt an authoritarian parenting style may inadvertently increase their children's risk of developing mental health problems.

Mental health professionals can use this information to help parents develop more effective parenting strategies. For example, mental health professionals can encourage parents to be warm and responsive while set-