ABSTRACT
Since the 1970s, there has been an emergence of exciting new perspectives on the importance of parenting for successful child development (e.g., Baumrind, 1971; Belsky, 1984; Gottman, 1997). These new theories provide information about the role of parenting beliefs and practices; about the historical, cultural, and personal factors that give rise to specific parenting practices; and about the characteristics of successful parents as they raise and mentor their children. Although different in their emphases, they share a common focus on active, responsive parenting, thus countering the cultural trend toward laissez faire, permissive parenting that emerged following World War II. Despite an impressive amount of research on parenting since 1970, relatively little is known about how the parenting styles, beliefs, and practices of adolescent parents differ from those of adult parents and how these factors influence child development.
