Narcissism and parenting styles.

Abstract

Baumrind's authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian parenting styles were analyzed within the context of Kohut's psychology of the self. College student perceptions of their parents were correlated with measures of self-functioning in order to test the hypotheses that perceived parental authoritativeness would be associated with less narcissistic maladjustment, that permissiveness would be associated with immature grandiosity, and that authoritarianism would correlate with inadequate idealization. All three suggestions received empirical support. In addition, authoritarianism seemed to be associated with less immature grandiosity, and parenting characteristics of the mother were more strongly correlated with self-development than were those of ihe father. That the family crucially affects the self is a commonplace social scientific assumption not limited to psychoanalysis. Baumrind's (e.g., 1966, 1975, 1983) research into authoritative, permissive, and authoritarian parenting styles illustrates how developmental psychologists have sought to clarify the tie between parenting and the traits of children. Most simplistically, authoritativeness combines control and limit setting with warmth and nurturance and generally fosters children who are "mature. .. socially responsible and assertive" (Baumnnd, 1973, p. 8). Overemphasis on nurturance at the expense of appropriate control defines a permissiveness that is associated with "immature" children more likely to have problems with self-control and selfreliance. Authoritarian parents are opposite to the permissive pattern in exerting strong control with little warmth. Their "disaffiliated" youth (1973, p. 8) appear to be unhappy, socially withdrawn, and lacking in trust (1983, p. 121).

Gender Differences in the Relationships Among Parenting Styles and College Student Mental Health

“…The weaker relationships between parenting styles and male student outcomes is consistent with previous research, 16,21,22 as well as with research that indicates that boys' suggestibility decreases as they age. 31 Future research may provide further evidence as to whether this weaker relationship is primarily due to differences in cultural upbringing and socialization differences or genetic factors.…”

“…In particular, mothering practices appear to have a greater impact on daughters' outcomes than sons', both with younger adolescents and college students. 16,21,22 For example, with younger adolescents, mothers' encouragement of independence limited girls' problem behaviors more than boys'. 16 For college women but not college men, authoritarian and permissive mothering were significantly and positively related to impulsiveness and subsequent problematic drinking behaviors, 21 and permissive mothering is positively related to a sense of entitlement.…”

“…Permissive mothering has been demonstrated to predict low levels of empathy, 29 as well as-for college women-immature narcissism 22 and impulsivity. 21 These collective characteristics, which likely come about due to little restriction of behavior during formative years, can result in, as Baumrind 30 (p405) theorized, "greedy, demanding, inconsiderate" children.…”

“…16 For college women but not college men, authoritarian and permissive mothering were significantly and positively related to impulsiveness and subsequent problematic drinking behaviors, 21 and permissive mothering is positively related to a sense of entitlement. 22 Although less commonly found, boys' outcomes are at times more strongly determined by fathering behaviors. For example, permissive fathering is positively related to sons' impulsiveness and alcohol-related problems, whereas authoritative fathering was negatively related to these outcomes for their sons.…”

Parent?child relationships during the divorce process; from attachment theory and intergenerational perspective

“…The finding that fathers who view their mothers as having been overprotective report less parental satisfaction may be explained by possible detrimental consequences of overprotective parenting: heightened inter-generational conflict and impaired maturity and autonomy in the offspring (Watson, Little, & Biderman, 1992). Fathers who perceive their mothers as having been overprotective may project their conflicts with their mother on their children, create conflicts with their children by becoming overprotective parents themselves, and/or have insufficient autonomy and maturity to parent well.…”