ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the six approaches to the study of parent-child relationships. They are the trait approach, a circumpiex model of parenting traits, social learning approach, social address approach, momentary process approach, child effects approach. Any single approach cannot adequately capture parenting or address all the key questions associated with parenting; it has been useful to have the multiple and often competing approaches. Bronfenbrenner advocated use of the "person-process-context" model. Such a model involves the recognition that individual characteristics of the parent and the child can mediate the impact of a process in a particular context. The child behavioral variable that has received the most attention has been children's activity level. The Parental Beliefs Approach is the newest and most diverse approach to the study of parenting focuses on the cognitive activity of parents as a tool for understanding parental behavior and, in turn, how children develop.
