Types of Parental Attitude towards Children as a Way to Achieve Adaptive Family Relationships

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to study types of parental attitude towards children as a way to achieve adaptive family relationships. Methods of the research. The following theoretical methods of the research were used to solve the tasks formulated in the article: a categorical method, structural and functional methods, the methods of the analysis, systematization, modeling, generalization. A pilot research was used as the empirical method. The results of the research. Children of parents with a controlling type of upbringing were obedient, suggestible, fearful, not too persistent in achieving their own goals, non-aggressive. With a mixed style of upbringing children are characterized by suggestibility, obedience, emotional sensitivity, non-aggres­siveness, lack of curiosity, originality of thinking and poor imagination. So, we distinguished three types of parental attitudes that are pathogenic for the emo­tional development of the child: 1. Emotional rejection is the indifferent attitude towards the child, it shows the parents’ unwillingness to satisfy the child’s physi­cal and mental needs, a desire to spend more time without him/her. This also includes cruel treatment, when, along with indifference, parents inflict physical injuries on the child. The reasons are financial difficulties, marital conflicts and mental infantilism of the child. 2. Overprotection is often such style of treatment of the child, which covers up an unconscious rejection of him/her. A feeling of guilt, in the connection with this rejection, often is arisen in parents’ psyche whose child is often and seriously ill. 3. Treatment of the child by a double bind type. The child is completely (and emotionally) dependent on the parents. Conclusions. The classification of parental attitudes towards children suf­fering from neuroses, neurosis-like conditions, psychopathies and character accentuationswas proposed: 1. Indulgent hyperprotection: the child is the cen­ter of attention of the family, and the family strives to satisfy his/her needs as fully as it is possible. 2. Dominant hyperprotection: the child is the center of attention of the parents, who spend a lot of time and energy to him/her, while depriving him/her of independence, setting numerous restrictions and prohibi­tions. 3. Emotional rejection: ignoring the child’s needs, often cruelty to him/her. 4. Increased moral responsibility is in education, increased moral demands are combined with inattention and lack of care on the part of the parents. 5. Cruel treatment includes parents do not strive to satisfy the needs of the child, but at the same time practice cruel punishments for the slightest offenses. 6. Neglect: the child is left to his/her own devices, the parents are not interested in his/her personality and do not control him/her. Lack of care and control are perceived by us as hypoprotection.

Keywords

• adaptive family relationships
• parental attitude
• emotional rejection
• overprotection
• treatment by a double bind type
• indulgent hyperprotection
• dominant hyperprotection
• increased moral responsibility
• cruel treatment
• neglect