How Does Parenting Style Affect a Child's Mental Health?

Parenting style is one of the most influential factors in a child’s mental and emotional development. How parents guide, respond to, and support their children shapes how young minds grow and adapt. 

Over time, these patterns of interaction can have lasting effects.

Types of Parenting Styles and Their Effects On Children

While there are numerous types of parenting styles, we’ll focus on 4 commonly discussed and recognised approaches.

So, what are the 4 common styles of parenting? Which one might you be using, and how does each affect a child’s mental health and development?

1. Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parenting strikes a balance between setting firm expectations and offering emotional support. Parents who use this style communicate openly, listen to their child’s perspective, and guide behaviour through reasoning rather than force. 

Children who grow up with this kind of steady, respectful guidance tend to feel supported and trusted. They know where the boundaries are, but they also know their thoughts and feelings are heard. 

This environment will likely help children form secure attachments—where they feel safe leaning on others but confident standing on their own. Over time, children raised under authoritative parents are more likely to have fewer behavioural problems, healthier peer relationships, and a more positive outlook toward school and learning.

2. Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parenting is marked by strict rules, high expectations, and little room for discussion. Parents who adopt this style tend to enforce discipline through control rather than connection, often expecting obedience without offering much explanation or emotional support. Communication is usually one-way, with little space for the child’s opinions or feelings.

While this approach may lead to outward compliance, it often comes at a cost. Children raised in authoritarian homes may develop insecure attachments, becoming anxious, withdrawn, or overly aggressive. This aggression often stems from an inability to process anger in healthy ways, as these children typically lack empathetic guidance and emotional validation at home. 

They might also struggle with low self-esteem or find it hard to make decisions independently, having rarely been encouraged to express themselves or think critically. 

3. Permissive Parenting

Permissive parenting tends to be warm and easygoing, with few rules or expectations in place. These parents are often supportive and accepting but avoid enforcing boundaries or saying no. Instead of acting as authority figures, they may take on more of a peer-like role, giving their child more freedom to make choices independently.

Just like authoritative parents, permissive parents can lead to secure attachment. They're both tuned in and attentive to their child's needs and emotions. However, they differ in expectations—authoritative parents set clear limits, while permissive parents offer less structure and guidance. 

While this lenient parenting style can create a relaxed and open family dynamic, the lack of structure may make it harder for children to develop self-discipline. Over time, they may struggle with impulse control, frustration tolerance, and social boundaries—skills that typically grow through consistent guidance and clear expectations.

4. Uninvolved Parenting

An uninvolved or neglectful parenting style is often described as hands-off, but not in a way that empowers children—instead, it leaves them without the emotional support and guidance they need. 

While basic physical needs like food and shelter are often met, emotional nurturing and communication are largely absent. Children raised in this environment may appear independent, but often because they have learned to rely on themselves out of necessity rather than healthy encouragement.

This emotional neglect can lead to insecure attachment, as children learn early on that they cannot consistently rely on others for comfort, support, or reassurance. As a result, they may find it difficult to trust, manage their emotions, or build strong, lasting relationships later in life.

Parenting Tips

Here are a few ways parents can guide their children’s growth and help them build the skills they need to navigate life with confidence and resilience.

• Offer steady support: Show your child that support is always available, but trust them to try, stumble, and grow on their own. 

• Set clear expectations and explain the "why": Children respond better when they understand the reasons behind rules, not just the rules themselves. Take time to connect boundaries to values like respect, safety, and trust.

• Adapt as they grow: What works for a toddler won’t work for a teenager. Being willing to adjust your parenting style as your child matures shows them that change and growth are normal parts of life.

• Respond with firmness and empathy: Mistakes are part of learning. Correct behaviour calmly, but stay attuned to your child’s emotions so discipline feels like guidance rather than rejection.

• Encourage independence in everyday ways: Letting children make small choices, like picking their outfits or helping plan a meal, builds confidence. As they take on more responsibility, they learn to trust their judgment.

• Validate emotions, even when setting limits: Saying “I understand you’re upset” before holding a boundary teaches children that their feelings are seen, even if their actions need correcting.

Empowering Your Parenting Journey Through Support and Awareness

How we parent leaves lasting imprints—not just on behaviour, but on how children see themselves and relate to others. While no approach is perfect, understanding the different parenting styles can help you make more intentional choices and adopt a strategy that supports your child’s healthy emotional development.

Parents who want to take this understanding further can explore The Psychology Atelier’s Circle of Security® Parenting™ programme. This programme offers guidance on applying attachment-based principles in everyday parenting moments while helping parents recognise their own blind spots that may unknowingly affect how they connect and respond to their children.

Sometimes, these patterns are rooted in unresolved personal experiences, which is why we also offer trauma therapy for adults to overcome emotional barriers and build greater emotional awareness. This, in turn, can help parents become more responsive and supportive of their children.

Our curated team of therapists and psychologists in Singapore are here to support you with evidence-based care tailored to you and your family’s needs.