Parenting Style Quiz: What’s Your Parenting Style?

Parenting styles describe the different techniques, environments, and behaviors parents use to raise their children. Psychologists believe parents' actions are linked to child development and even influence behavior in adulthood. This quiz can help us discover our own parenting style or the parenting style we were raised under.

Who Is This Parenting Style Quiz For?

This parenting style quiz is for those of us who are curious about the parenting style they’re using on their children or those curious about the parenting style they were raised under. It can help us understand some of our children’s responses to our parenting techniques or help us understand what’s behind some of our behaviors in adulthood.

The goal in parenting isn't to show up perfectly, but to expand one's capacity to show up better over time.

— YOLANDA RENTERIA, LPC

What Are the 4 Types of Parenting Styles?

Researchers studying parenting and child development have put parenting styles into groups ranging from three or more. The four commonly known and discussed parenting styles are authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved, which is also referred to as neglectful parenting. 

Authoritarian Parenting

Authoritarian parents expect their children to follow strict rules. Failure to follow the rules often results in harsh punishment. The rules are typically created by the parents with no input from the children and there is little to no explanation as to why the rules exist. This style of parenting is not flexible or very nurturing.

Authoritative Parenting

Authoritative parents also have high expectations for their children, but they’re more nurturing than authoritarian parents. Under this style of parenting, parents give their kids rules and guidelines, but they’re also willing to listen to the child’s input and explain why the rules exist. If the children don’t follow the guidelines, authoritative parents don’t use harsh punishment; they’re more forgiving.

Permissive Parenting

Permissive parents are usually warm and nurturing, but they tend to avoid conflict with their children, lack structure and consistency with discipline and don’t have or enforce guidelines or rules. Children of these parents often struggle with impulse control, are more prone to anxiety and depression, and have trouble self-regulating and dealing with authority.

Uninvolved/Neglectful Parenting

Uninvolved or neglectful parents may meet a child’s basic needs—such as providing food and shelter—but don’t have a lot of communication or positive interactions with the child. These parents may not know much about their child’s life and might seem indifferent or unresponsive. They may also be neglectful or physically or emotionally abusive.

What to Know About Parenting Styles

Researchers have been studying parenting and child development for around 75 years (!). From the 1930s to the 1960s, research focused on parenting traits rather than parenting behaviors. Psychologist Diana Baumrind studied more than 100 preschool-age children in the 1960s. Through her observations, Baumrind identified different dimensions of parenting, which she then put into the three parenting styles. A fourth parenting style was added later. 

Our parenting style can influence how our child thinks about and interacts with the outside world, which can include:

• How they make friends and choose romantic partners
• How they view themselves (self-esteem)
• How they perform academically
• Their mental health and well-being