Abstract
There is ample research on aggression amongst children and adolescents that highlights several antecedents of aggression. While researchers have remarked on the relationship between parenting styles and aggression in children, there are few studies that integrate and systemize the available studies on parenting styles and aggression. The present review is an attempt to fill this gap. For this review, relevant studies were first searched, then coded and classified. As a result of thorough review, 34 relevant studies were identified. The review shows that parenting styles have a direct impact on aggression in children. Authoritative parenting styles play a positive role in psychological behavior in children while authoritarian and permissive parenting styles result in aggressive and negative behaviors in children. The current study also suggests that there is room to conduct studies on this topic in developing countries. Future research should be undertaken in developing and under-developed countries and should focus on mixed modes of research and examine the direct influence of parenting styles on aggressive behavior in children in different cultural contexts.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Álvarez-García, D., García, T., Barreiro-Collazo, A., Dobarro, A., & Antúnez, Á. (2016). Parenting style dimensions as predictors of adolescent antisocial behavior. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1383.
Azimi, A. L., Vaziri, S., & Kashani, F. L. (2012). The relationship between Maternal Parenting Style and Child’s Aggressive Behavior. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 69, 1276–1281.
Bandura, A. (1973). Aggression: A social learning analysis. Oxford: Prentice-Hall.
Barnes, G. M., & Farrell, M. P. (1992). Parental support and control as predictors of adolescent drinking, delinquency, and related problem behaviors. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 54, 763–776.
Barry, C. T., Frick, P. J., & Grafeman, S. J. (2008). Child versus parent reports of parenting practices: Implications for the conceptualization of child behavioral and emotional problems. Assessment, 15, 294–303.
Batool, S. S. (2013). Lack of adequate parenting: A potential risk factor for aggression among adolescents. Pakistan Journal of Psychological Research, 28(2), 217.
Baumrind, D. (1966). Effects of authoritative parental control on child behavior. Child Development, 37, 887–907.
Baumrind, D. (1971). Current patterns of parental authority. Developmental Psychology, 4(1p2), 1–103.
Baumrind, D. (1991). Effective parenting during the early adolescent transition. Family Transitions, 2(1), 1.
Baumrind, D. (1996). The discipline controversy revisited. Family Relations, 45, 405–414.
Bayer, C. L., & Cegala, D. J. (2009). Trait verbal aggressiveness and argumentativeness: Relations with parenting style. Western Journal of Communication (Includes Communication Reports), 56(3), 301–310.
Beyers, J. M., Bates, J. E., Pettit, G. S., & Dodge, K. A. (2003). Neighborhood structure, parenting processes, and the development of youths’ externalizing behaviors: A multilevel analysis. American Journal of Community Psychology, 31, 35–53.
Brook, J. S., Zheng, L., Whiteman, M., & Brook, D. W. (2001). Aggression in toddlers: Associations with parenting and marital relations. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 162(2), 228–241.
Brown, B. B., Mounts, N., Lamborn, S. D., & Steinberg, L. (1993). Parenting practices and peer group affiliation in adolescence. Child Development, 64(2), 467–482.
Carlo, G., Mestre, M. V., Samper, P., Tur, A., & Armenta, B. E. (2010). Feelings or cognition? Moral cognition and emotions as longitudinal predictors of prosocial and aggressive behaviors. Personality and Individual Differences, 48(8), 872–877.
Carpenter, J. L., & Mendez, J. (2013). Adaptive and challenged parenting among African American mothers: Parenting profiles relate to head start children’s aggression and hyperactivity. Early Education & Development, 24(2), 233–252.
Casas, J. F., Weigel, S. M., Crick, N. R., Ostrov, J. M., Woods, K. E., Yeh, E. A. J., et al. (2006). Early parenting and children’s relational and physical aggression in the preschool and home contexts. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 27(3), 209–227.
Chan, S. M. (2010). Aggressive behavior in early elementary school children: Relations to authoritarian parenting, children’s negative emotionality and coping strategies. Early Child Development and Care, 180(9), 1253–1269.
Chan, S. M. (2011). Social competence of elementary-school children relationships to maternal authoritativeness, supportive maternal responses and children’s coping strategies. Child: Care, Health and Development, 37(4), 524–532.
Chan, J. Y., Harlow, A. J., Kinsey, R., Gerstein, L. H., & Fung, A. L. C. (2018). The examination of authoritarian parenting styles, specific forms of peer-victimization, and reactive aggression in Hong Kong Youth. School Psychology International, 39(4), 378–399.
Chen, X., Chang, L., He, Y., & Liu, H. (2005). The peer group as a context: Moderating effects on relations between maternal parenting and social and school adjustment in Chinese children. Child Development, 76(2), 417–434.
Chen, X., Wu, H., Chen, H., Wang, L., & Cen, G. (2001). Parenting practices and aggressive behavior in Chinese children. Parenting Science and Practice, 1(3), 159–184.
Cleveland, E. S. (2014). Digit ratio, emotional intelligence and parenting styles predict female aggression. Personality and Individual Differences, 58, 9–14.
Collins, W. A., & Laursen, B. (Eds.). (1999). Relationships as developmental contexts: The Minnesota symposia on child psychology, (Vol. 30). Washington, DC: Psychology Press.
Collins, W. A., & Steinberg, L. (2006). Adolescent development in interpersonal context (Vol. 4). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Crick, N. R., Werner, N. E., Casas, J. F., O’Brien, K. M., Nelson, D. A., Grotpeter, J. K., et al. (1999). Childhood aggression and gender: A new look at an old problem. Nebraska symposium on motivation (Vol. 45, pp. 75–142). New York: University of Nebraska Press.
Delores, E. S., & Todd, M. M. (2012). Parenting style and psychosocial outcomes in a sample of Jamaican adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 18, 176–190.
Dodge, K. A., Coie, J. D., & Lynam, D. (2006). Aggression and antisocial behavior in youth. Handbook of child psychology. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Ehrenreich, S. E., Beron, K. J., Brinkley, D. Y., & Underwood, M. K. (2014). Family predictors of continuity and change in social and physical aggression from ages 9 to 18. Aggressive Behavior, 40(5), 421–439.
Eider, P. S., Aitziber, A., Francisco, B., Ana, I. V., Jaione, C., & José, R. S. M. (2014). Parenting styles and hormone levels as predictors of physical and indirect aggression in boys and girls. Aggressive Behavior, 9999, 1–9.
Finzi-Dottan, R., Bilu, R., & Golubchik, P. (2011). Aggression and conduct disorder in former Soviet Union immigrant adolescents: The role of parenting style and ego identity. Children and Youth Services Review, 33(6), 918–926.
Freud, S. (1937). Analysis terminable and interminable. The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis, 18, 373.
Fung, A. L. C., Gerstein, L. H., Chan, Y., & Hurley, E. (2013). Children’s aggression, parenting styles, and distress for Hong Kong parents. Journal of Family Violence, 28(5), 515–521.
Gao, Y., Zhang, W., & Fung, A. L. C. (2015). The associations between parenting styles and proactive and reactive aggression in Hong Kong children and adolescents. International Journal of Psychology, 50(6), 463–471.
Gómez-Ortiz, O., Del Rey, R., Casas, J. A., & Ortega-Ruiz, R. (2014). Parenting styles and bullying involvement/Estilos parentales e implicación en bullying. Cultura y Educación, 26(1), 132–158.
Greening, L., Stoppelbein, L., & Luebbe, A. (2010). The moderating effects of parenting styles on African-American and Caucasian children’s suicidal behaviors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(4), 357–369.
Healey, D. M., Flory, J. D., Miller, C. J., & Halperin, J. M. (2011). Maternal positive parenting style is associated with better functioning in hyperactive/inattentive preschool children. Infant and Child Development, 20(2), 148–161.
Hesari, N. K. Z., & Hejazi, E. (2011). The mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between the authoritative parenting style and aggression. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 30, 1724–1730.
Huesmann, L. R., Dubow, E. F., & Boxer, P. (2009). Continuity of aggression from childhood to early adulthood as a predictor of life outcomes: Implications for the adolescent-limited and life-course-persistent models. Aggressive Behavior, 35(2), 136–149.
Jia, S., Wang, L., & Shi, Y. (2014). Relationship between parenting and proactive versus reactive aggression among Chinese preschool children. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 28(2), 152–157.
Junior, M. L., & Godinho Filho, M. (2010). Variations of the kanban system: Literature review and classification. International Journal of Production Economics, 125(1), 13–21.
Kawabata, Y., Alink, L. R., Tseng, W. L., Van Ijzendoorn, M. H., & Crick, N. R. (2011a). Maternal and paternal parenting styles associated with relational aggression in children and adolescents: A conceptual analysis and meta-analytic review. Developmental Review, 31(4), 240–278.
Kawabata, Y., Alink, L. R., Tseng, W. L., Van Ijzendoorn, M. H., & Crick, N. R. (2011b). Maternal and paternal parenting styles associated with relational aggression in children and adolescents: A conceptual analysis and meta-analytic review. Developmental Review, 31(4), 240–278.
Kim, I. J., Ge, X., Brody, G. H., Conger, R. D., Gibbons, F. X., & Simons, R. L. (2003). Parenting behaviors and the occurrence and co-occurrence of depressive symptoms and conduct problems among African American children. Journal of Family Psychology, 17, 571–583.
Kokkinos, C. M., & Voulgaridou, I. (2017). Links between relational aggression, parenting and personality among adolescents. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 14(3), 249–264.
Lamborn, Mounts, & Dornbusch, Steinberg. (1991). Patterns of competence and adjustment among adolescents from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child Development, 62(5), 1049–1065.
Lewis, C. C. (1981). The effects of parental firm control: A reinterpretation of findings. Psychological Bulletin, 90(3), 547.
Liu, M., & Guo, F. (2010). Parenting practices and their relevance to child behaviors in Canada and China. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 51(2), 109–114.
Llorca, A., Richaud, M. C., & Malonda, E. (2017). Parenting styles, prosocial, and aggressive behavior: The role of emotions in offender and non-offender adolescents. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1246.
Lorber, M. F., & Egeland, B. (2011). Parenting and infant difficulty: Testing a mutual exacerbation hypothesis to predict early onset conduct. Child Development, 82, 2006–2020.
Marion, K. U., Kurt, J. B., & Lisa, H. R. (2009). Continuity and change in social and physical aggression from middle childhood through early adolescence. Aggressive Behavior, 35, 357–375.
Martínez, I., Murgui, S., García, O. F., & García, F. (2019). Parenting in the digital era: Protective and risk parenting styles for traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization. Computers in Human Behavior, 90, 84–92.
McKee, L., Colletti, C., Rakow, A., Jones, D. J., & Forehand, R. (2008). Parenting and child externalizing behaviors: Are the associations specific or diffuse? Aggression and Violent Behavior, 13, 201–215.
McNamara, K. A., Selig, J. P., & Hawley, P. H. (2010). A typological approach to the study of parenting: Associations between maternal parenting patterns and child behavior and social reception. Early Child Development and Care, 180, 1185–1202.
Milevsky, A., Schlechter, M., Netter, S., & Keehn, D. (2007). Maternal and paternal parenting styles in adolescents: Associations with self-esteem, depression and life-satisfaction. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 16(1), 39–47.
Mowder, B. A. (2005). Parent development theory: Understanding parents, parenting perceptions, and parenting behaviors. Journal of Early Childhood and Infant Psychology, 1, 46–64.
Muñoz, J. M., Braza, P., Carreras, R., Braza, F., Azurmendi, A., Pascual-Sagastizábal, E., et al. (2017). Daycare center attendance buffers the effects of maternal authoritarian parenting style on physical aggression in children. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 391.
Murray-Close, D., & Ostrov, J. M. (2009). A longitudinal study of forms and functions of aggressive behavior in early childhood. Child Development, 80(3), 828–842.
Nelson, D. A., Hart, C. H., Yang, C., Olson, J. A., & Jin, S. (2006). Aversive parenting in China: Association with child physical and relational aggression. Child Development, 77, 554–572.
Pascual-Sagastizabal, E., Azurmendi, A., Braza, F., Vergara, A. I., Cardas, J., & Sánchez-Martín, J. R. (2014). Parenting styles and hormone levels as predictors of physical and indirect aggression in boys and girls. Aggressive Behavior, 40(5), 465–473.
Raine, A. (2002). Biosocial studies of antisocial and violent behavior in children and adults: A review. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 30(4), 311–326.
Reed, T. J., Goldstein, S. E., Morris, A. S., & Keyes, A. W. (2008). Relational aggression in mothers and children: Links with psychological control and child adjustment. Sex Roles, 59(1–2), 39–48.
Rodriguez, C. M. (2010). Parent-child aggression: Association with child abuse potential and parenting styles. Violence and Victims, 25(6), 728–741.
Romano, E., Tremblay, R., Boulerice, B., & Swisher, R. R. (2005). Multilevel correlates of childhood physical aggression and prosocial behavior. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 33, 565–578.
Russell, A., Hart, C., Robinson, C., & Olsen, S. (2003). Children’s sociable and aggressive behaviour with peers: A comparison of the US and Australia, and contributions of temperament and parenting styles. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 27(1), 74–86.
Sánchez-Martín, J. R., Azurmendi Imaz, A., Fano Ardanaz, E., Braza Lloret, F., Muñoz Sánchez, J. M., & Carreras de Alba, M. R. (2009). Niveles de andrógenos, estilos parentales y conducta agresiva en niños y niñas de 5-6 años de edad. Psicothema, 21(1), 57–62.
Schwerdtfeger, K. L., Larzelere, R. E., Werner, D., Peters, C., & Oliver, M. (2013). Intergenerational transmission of trauma: The mediating role of parenting styles on toddlers’ DSM-related symptoms. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 22(2), 211–229.
Servatyari, K., Yousefi, F., Kashefi, H., Bahmani, M. P., Parvareh, M., & Servatyari, S. (2018). The relationship between parenting styles with the aggression of their children in sanandaj primary students. International Journal of Biomedicine and Public Health, 1(3), 142–148.
Shoumei, J. A., Ling, W. B., & Yingjuan, S. (2014). Relationship between parenting and proactive versus reactive aggression among Chinese preschool children. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 28, 152–157.
Slicker, E. K. (1998). Relationship of parenting style to behavioral adjustment in graduating high school seniors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 27(3), 345–372.
Smith, D. E., & Moore, T. M. (2013). Parenting style and psychosocial outcomes in a sample of Jamaican adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 18(3), 176–190.
Smith, S., Mullis, F., Kern, R. M., & Brack, G. (1999). An Adlerian model for the etiology of aggression in adjudicated adolescents. The Family Journal, 7(2), 135–147.
Steinberg, L. (1990). Authoritative parenting and adolescent adjustment across varied ecological niches. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 1(1), 19–36.
Steinberg, L., Elmen, J. D., & Mounts, N. S. (1989). Authoritative parenting, psychosocial maturity, and academic success among adolescents. Child Development, 60, 1424–1436.
Steinberg, L., Lamborn, S. D., Darling, N., Mounts, N. S., & Dornbusch, S. M. (1994). Over-time changes in adjustment and competence among adolescents from authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent, and neglectful families. Child Development, 65(3), 754–770.
Tiina, O.-A., Jari-Erik, N., & Kaisa, A. (1998). Mothers’ and fathers’ well-being, parenting styles, and their children’s cognitive and behavioral strategies at primary school. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 8, 543–556.
Trenas, A. F. R., Osuna, M. J. P., Olivares, R. R., & Cabrera, J. H. (2013). Relationship between parenting style and aggression in a Spanish children sample. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 82, 529–536.
Underwood, M. K., Beron, K. J., Gentsch, J. K., Galperin, M. B., & Risser, S. D. (2008). Family correlates of children’s social and physical aggression with peers: Negative interparental conflict strategies and parenting styles. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 32(6), 549–562.
Underwood, M. K., Beron, K. J., & Rosen, L. H. (2009). Continuity and change in social and physical aggression from middle childhood through early adolescence. Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the International Society for Research on Aggression, 35(5), 357–375.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Masud, H., Ahmad, M.S., Cho, K.W. et al. Parenting Styles and Aggression Among Young Adolescents: A Systematic Review of Literature. Community Ment Health J 55, 1015–1030 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00400-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-019-00400-0