Testing the Influence of Parenting Styles on a Child’s Level of Physical Activity

 Running Head: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH 1
Testing the Influence of Parenting Styles on a Child’s Level of Physical Activity
Name
Institution
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH 2
Abstract
In recent years, there has been an upsurge of research targeting the link between parenting styles
and a child’s level of physical activity. The result of such research has been indistinguishable;
there is a direct or indirect effect of parenting styles on a child’s level of physical activity. The
purpose of this research study was to identify this link: whether parenting styles have a negative
or positive effect on a child’s level of physical activity with regard to the gender of each child. In
this research, questionnaires were issued to parents and the parents expected to report on their
parenting styles. In addition, a cross-sectional survey of a hundred children between the age
brackets of 8- to 12- year old was conducted in New Orleans (USA). An instrument used to
assess the children’s level of physical activity (accelerometer) was used, and the mean minutes
of their moderate and vigorous physical activity, denoted by mean MVPA, and their mean counts
per minute, denoted by mean CPM recorded. In the results obtained, children with permissive
parents showed a higher mean MVPA as compared to children from an authoritative parenting
background. Focusing on gender, permissive parenting girls recorded a higher mean MVPA
while boys a higher mean CPM. The conclusions of the research showed that permissive
parenting style resulted in greater levels of PA while authoritative parenting resulted in lower
levels of physical activity. This goes on to show that parenting styles have a direct influence on a
child’s level of physical activity with a variation being observed on each gender.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH 3
 Developmental psychologists hold a pivotal role with regard to understanding a child’s
development. It is very important to understand a child development so that a child development
can be monitored and shaped according to the best way possible. For a child to be able to fit it
the society, he or she should be wired in a particular direction. To be development refers to the
quantitative changes occurring simultaneously with the qualitative changes of growth.
Researching on a child’s development helps psychologists pinpoint the reason for behavior
noticed when a child becomes of age. Therefore, developmental psychologists are capable of
explaining instances of children being socially inactive, rude, having temper tantrums, and
exhibiting weird behavior. The numerous researches conducted by developmental psychologists
show a variation in the area of research.
 Hennessy, Hughes et.al conducted a research on interactions between parent to child
interactions alongside child physical activity. Their main area of concern was on parent-child
interactions, that is, how the parent interacts with the child. The way a parent interacts with a
child is very important as it forms the basis of that child entire life. The parent-child interactions
they studied was a general term for parenting practice s and the parenting style. Good parenting
should be adopted so that the child will be better adapted in the future which requires good life
skills. Their argument was that parents have a direct effect on children’s behavior resulting from
their parenting practices, and an indirect effect on children’s behavior due to their parenting style
(Hennesey, Hughes et.al, 2010). As observed, they noted that parenting practices and style were
two different things that had varying results on the child. The practices they noted were logistical
and emotional support, which has a positive outcome on the child’s physical activity levels while
the parenting styles were authoritative, permissive, uninvolved, and authoritarian.
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH 4
 Bentley, Goodred et.al researched on parent’s perspectives on child physical activity and their
inference on parenting interventions. This research rather than dwelling on the relationship
between the levels of child physical activity and the parenting style singled out the methods of
intervening on a child’s physical activity with an aim of improving it. The researchers engaged
parents in telephone interviews. From the telephone interviews, they were able to note from the
parent’s perspective, the PA level of their child and the factors inhibiting higher PA levels. This
research brought to light the notion that children’s PA levels were indirectly related to the
parenting style used by the parents. According to the parents, environmental factors such as
unfavorable weather, financial, and time constraints were accountable for the child’s PA levels
(Bentley, Goodred et.al, 2012).
 Jago, Davidson et.al researched on parenting styles, practices, and PA in 10-11 year olds.
Their method of the study was a cross-sectional survey,