Strict parenting can make children develop low self-esteem states a research by the University of California, Riverside.
Researchers explained that strict parenting methods might also cause school adjustment difficulties in children, which in turn would throw them into depression and lead to problematic behaviors.
"Our research shows that 'Tiger Mother' type of parenting among Chinese parents, specifically controlling, punitive, and less supportive type of parenting is really not working for adolescents," Cixin Wang, assistant professor at the University of California Riverside's Graduate School of Education said in a statement released to the press.
While authoritarian parenting might help children to an extent, Dr Laura Markham of Aha! Parenting explains that such children risk losing out on learning to take responsibilities. Moreover, it turns children into bullies. Strict parenting undermines the parent-child relationship.
Past researches have shown that when parents use strong psychological control over their children, it results in problematic behavior, low self-esteem and low grades among the children.
The current study was based on an analysis of a youth survey in Hangzhou, China, and it included 589 middle and high school children.
The children were asked about their perceptions of the behavior of their mothers and fathers, as well as their self-esteem, school adjustment, depression and problem behavior. The study team found that permissiveness and being punitive was associated with negative adolescent adjustment among Chinese students too.
"The findings refute the idea that the traditional, strict 'Chinese' upbringing that gained widespread attention in the 2011 book 'Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother' by Amy Chua, is superior," researchers noted.
Researchers said that the findings showed that it is important that parents, who are emotionally less expressive and use less praise in parenting, to show their approval, love and support for their children.
The study was published in the Journal of Family Issues.
