Argentine Culture and Parenting Styles

Abstract

The importance of parenting styles on development and welfare of children is widely known and also how parenting practices are linked to the social meanings of each culture or social group. We present various perspectives about parenting styles and their relation to different contexts, cultures and social classes in Argentina. We also analyze the characteristics of particular parenting styles of both middle class and disadvantaged backgrounds. Next we analyze whether more efficient parenting styles may vary from one culture to another, under the hypothesis that parenting styles that ensure children's socioemotional adjustment, remain invariant in different socioeconomic contexts and cultures. Variation occurs in the characteristics or the degree of acceptance and control and in the ways in which parenting behaviors are perceived by children. Finally, we emphasize the importance of interventions aimed at optimizing parenting, so that parents can correct irrational beliefs about behaviors, customs and styles of parenting, which hamper the development of the resilience of children, parents and family.