The Role of Parents in Shaping Childrens Mental Health

Parenting experience refers to attitudes, beliefs, values about parent-ing, satisfaction with parenting. parental self-efficacy, and parental stress (Lacharite et al. 2016). The job of parenting aims to ensure children's health and safety, prepare them for life as productive adults, and transmit cultural values. Good parenting involves more than just meeting the child's basic needs; it also encompasses establishing a strong emotional bond, providing guidance, discipline, and support, and promoting the child's overall development.

      The role of parents in shaping children's mental health is crucial and multifaceted. A large body of early research has found that family parenting styles are important predictors of children's social adjustment and psychological resilience, and that children with positive family parenting styles are better socially adjusted and more psychologically resilient (Sun, 2023). Children who have a positive family parenting style, such as involving a level of trust, participation, good and warm communication, and discipline that is applied carefully, are generally better able to adjust socially and are more psychologically resilient. This is because positive parenting is associated with better emotional well-being in children, which can contribute to better mental health and a higher sense of self-worth. Children also tend to have higher social competence and self-confidence, which can help them navigate social situations more effectively. A  warm  relationship between parents and children has been shown to   reduce   child   emotional   and   behavioral problems  (Lansford,  et  al.,  2014).

       On the other hand, negative parenting styles have a bad impact on children. An example is authoritarian parenting. Adolescents with authoritarian parents show the lowest levels of self-esteem compared to other parenting styles. An authoritarian parenting style characterized by low levels of nurturing and high levels of overprotection and lack of parental support is predictive of high levels of depression ( Smokowski, et al., 2014). Authoritarian parenting is characterized by high demands and low responsiveness, leading to a lack of emotional support and warmth, which can negatively impact the emotional development of children. Children of authoritarian parents may also have difficulty with social skills, such as making friends and communicating effectively. Additionally, authoritarian parenting can lead to aggression, poor decision-making skills, and a strong sense of failure in children.

     The role of parents in shaping children's mental health is significant and multifaceted. Research indicates that parental mental health during children's formative years is a significant predictor of their long-term mental health trajectories. Parental caregiving influences the majority of child-environment interactions and plays a crucial role in regulating children’s mental health. Positive parenting practices, such as warmth, responsiveness, and consistent discipline, contribute to healthy development, while authoritarian parenting styles can increase the risk of mental health issues.

Sumber Referensi:

Sun, Z. (2023). The Relationship between Parenting Style and Mental Health:
               The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience.
               https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202318002022

Smokowski, P. R., Bacallao, M. L., Cottet, K. L., Evans, C. B. R. (2014). The Effects of Positive and Negative Parenting Practices on Adolescent Mental Health Outcomes in a Multicultural Sample of Rural Youth. doi: 10.1007/10578-014-0474-2

Lansford, J. E., Sharma, C., Malone, P. S., Woodlief, D., Dodge, K. A., Oburu, P. & Giunta, L. D. (2014). Corporal punishment, maternal warmth, and child adjustment: A longitudinal study in eight countries. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 43(4), 670-685.
               doi: 10.1080/15374416.2014.893518

Lacharité, C., Pierce, T., Baker, M., & Calille, S. (2016). La per-spective des parents sur leur expérience avec de jeunes enfants :une recherche qualitative reposant sur des groupes de discussiondans le cadre de l’initiative Perspectives parents. Les éditionsCEIDEF. https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca/pls/public/docs/GSC1910/F_734632437_LesCahiersDuCEIDEF_vol_4.pdf.