How Parents Promote Children’s Well-Being

Eva M. Pomerantz

Think to the Future

• What Attributes Would You Like to Foster in Your Child?

• How Would You Do It?

Parents as Shapers

ParentingChild

Well Being

Major Dimensions of Parenting

• Structure

• Autonomy Support

• Affect

Structure

• Setting Limits

• Monitoring

• Guidance

• Scaffolding

Structure Predicts. . .

• Decreased – Aggression– Delinquency

• Increased– Positive Peer Relations– Achievement

Autonomy Support

• Autonomy-Supportive– Allow Exploration of Environment– Permit Initiation of Own Behavior

• Independent Problem Solving• Encourage Generation of Own Strategies

• Controlling– Pressure to Meet Outcome– Regulate Behavior

• Commands• Directives• Orders• Love Withdrawal

Autonomy Support Predicts. . .

• Decreased– Extrinsic Motivation– Helplessness– Depression– Aggression

• Increased– Intrinsic Motivation– Mastery– Achievement– Positive Peer Relations

Affect

• Positive– Warm and Loving– Supportive– Encouraging – Enjoy Interactions

• Negative– Hostile– Criticizes– Annoyed and Frustrated

Positive Affect Predicts. . .

• Decreased– Extrinsic Motivation– Helplessness– Depression– Aggression

• Increased– Intrinsic Motivation– Mastery– Positive Emotional Functioning– Achievement

What Should a Parent Do?

• Authoritative Parenting– Provide Structure– Support Autonomy– Maintain Positive Affect

• Benjamin and Garrison

Children as Shapers

ChildWell-Being

Parenting

It Takes a Parent and a Child

ParentingChild

Well Being

Child Attributes

Mothers’ Affect Depends on Children’s Helplessness

• Guiding Hypothesis

• Mothers’ Affect– Positive Affect on Days Assisted

with Homework

• Children’s Helplessness– Mother, Teacher, and Child Reports

• Children’s Well-Being– Children Complete Questionnaires

Mothers’ Affect Depends on Children’s Helplessness

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

Low High

Maternal Positive Affect

Chi

ld E

mot

iona

l F

unct

ioni

ng Low ChildHelplessness

High ChildHelplessness

Summary

• Be an Authoritative Parent– Provide Structure– Support Autonomy– Maintain Positive Affect

• It’s Not Just the Parent– The Effects of Parenting Depend on

What Children Bring– Parental Sensitivity to Children’s

Attributes