According to Baumrind’s theory, the way in which children are raised has a major impact on their functioning and well-being. She noted that the manner in which parents meet the joint needs of children for nurturance and limit-setting greatly influences their degree of social competence and behavioural adjustment (Baumrind, 1991, cited in Slicker, 1998). Of the four parenting styles mentioned in Baumrind’s typology, authoritative parenting appears to have the most positive behavioural and emotional outcomes. Children of such parents tend to be more socially competent and responsible, more self-reliant and confident and less susceptible to both internalizing and externalizing problems than children exposed to other parenting styles. (Patock-Peckham & Morgan-Lopez, 2007). Continue reading →