Self-esteem during childhood affected by behavior of dominant parent, study reveals

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A new study published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology claims that a child's self-esteem is highly influenced by which parent is the dominant one in the household, EurekAlert reports. The study was conducted on 125 English and Indian families in West London, Britain, analyzing the impact of the power structures of a home on a child's well being.

According to the researchers' interviews with the parents, English kids whose mothers had more negative parenting traits like detachment, intrusiveness, lax enforcement of discipline, and controlling parenting style had lower self-esteem. Researchers also found that Indian children were more influenced by their fathers because of their traditional culture. Results showed that mothers have an inferior position to fathers in and outside the home, and that fathers were seen as the head and disciplinarian of the family. Despite migrating to Britain, these roles were still evident in the families.

English families, however, were also patriarchal, but mothers were at the helm at home, tasked with raising children with care and discipline.

University Herald reports that according to Dr. Alison Pike, Reader in Psychology at the University of Sussex, who co-authored the study, "Mothers and fathers play different roles in different cultures - these findings highlight the importance of these distinct gender-based power structures on a child's self-worth."

Dr. Pike explained, "Parenting literature is still dominated by mothering, reflecting Western norms. With 7.5 million foreign-born residents in the UK, we need to spend more time considering parenting practice through a cultural lens."

Dr. Lisa Firestone wrote in Psychology Today that how a parent reacts to a child's emotion is important because children are "highly attuned" to the emotions of their parents. She wrote, "The more calm and compassionate we are in reacting to our children, the more resilient they become in handling their own emotions."

Dr. Firestone added: "As kids grow up, they often take on their parents’ negative self-perceptions and the critical point of view directed toward them. For example, if a parent regards their child as a burden, that attitude will be woven into the child’s self-esteem."

Licensed clinical social worker and college instructor Terry Gaspard cites family conflict as a factor that contributes to low self-esteem in children. She wrote in the Huffington Post, "Many studies show that being raised in a high-conflict divorced family can cause children to have low self-esteem and feelings of unworthiness. It can leave him or her with the ultimate feeling of rejection."

These studies are important in analyzing a child's behavior and pointing out what aspects from the home are contributing to their emotional and mental health, and make adjustments for their wellness.