Parenting is a very important responsibility and activity that involves particular behaviors that are designed to work on an individual and group level so as to influence the child outcomes. Specific behaviors of different parenting styles include reading aloud, spanking and these behaviors cannot be looked at in isolation. Any article on parenting styles will indicate that specific behaviors cannot predict  the well being of the child and it is determined more by the entire pattern of parenting. Diana Baumrind developed the different parenting styles and these are often accepted and referred to so as to understand the different styles and their impact. Basically the parenting styles are developed so as to understand the ways in which parents try to control or socialize their children. The styles developed by Baumrind also assume that normal parenting is related with issues of control as the main role of the parents in to teach, influence and also control their children. Parenting styles include two important components of parental demandingness and parental responsiveness. Parental responsiveness is also called parental supportiveness and it is an indication of the extent to which parents are able to foster self regulation, individuality and self assertion through support towards the needs of the children. Parental demandingness is an indication of the ability of parents to integrate the children within the family through supervision and the willingness to confront the disobedient child. Depending on the degree of parental responsiveness and demandingness there are four different parenting styles which are:

Indulgent Style
Indulgent parents are also called nondirective or permissive parents. They are less demanding and more responsive. These parents tend to be rather lenient and nontraditional. They do not need mature behavior and allow for certain amount of self regulation and also tend to avoid confrontation. These parents can also be divided in two other types which are democratic parents and non directive parents. Democratic parents are more conscientious, committed towards the child and are lenient.

Authoritarian Style
Authoritarian parents are extremely demanding and not responsive. They are also status and obedience oriented. They expect their demands and orders to be met without any explanation. These parents are often successful in providing structured and well ordered environments that have clearly stated rules. Authoritarian parents can also be divided in two types which include non authoritarian directive parents who are non intrusive and directive. The second type in this parenting style include authoritarian directive and these are completely intrusive.

Authoritative Style
Authoritative parents are also one of the four parenting styles and in this the parents are both responsive and demanding.  They monitor their children and impart clear standards as far as the conduct of their children is concerned. They are also assertive but are completely non intrusive and also restrictive. The disciplinary methods they employ are supportive rather than being punitive. They desire their children to be socially responsible, assertive and cooperative as well as self regulated.

Uninvolved Style
This is one of the extreme parenting styles wherein the demandingness and the responsiveness of the parents in rather low. In fact in extreme cases this may involve both a rejection as well as a neglecting.

In determining parenting styles psychological control also plays an important part and in this the emotional development and the psychological development of the child is also considered. Psychological control includes practices such as inducing guilt in the child, withdrawing love and inducing shame. Authoritative parents are more open to interact with the children and make compromises while authoritarian parents expect their children to completely accept their values, goals and judgments. So authoritative parents along with authoritarian parents are high in behavioral control but authoritative parents score low where psychological control is concerned and authoritarian parents score high in the same. Parenting styles are crucial because they determine the well being of the child in areas such as academic performance, social competence and psychosocial development. Children exposed to uninvolved style of parenting often perform poorly socially and on other measures. Children from authoritarian families perform moderately well academically and do not have problematic behavior but have poor social skills and low self esteem and greater depression levels. Children from indulgent homes may be involved in problematic behavior but have higher self esteem and low depression levels.