Differential Parenting Between Mothers and Fathers

Although the relationship between parenting and outcomes for children and adolescents has been examined, differences between maternal and paternal parenting styles have received less attention, particularly in the case of late adolescents. As a result, this article examines the relationship between late adolescents' perceptions of their mothers' and fathers' parenting styles and their own emotional adjustment. Findings of this study suggest that mothers and fathers use different parenting styles for their sons and daughters. It also suggests that different combinations of maternal and paternal parenting (e.g., a permissive father parenting with an authoritarian mother) are related to late adolescents' emotional adjustment, with late adolescents who have at least one authoritative parent showing better adjustment than those who do not have such a parent. Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of examining dyadic parent—adolescent relationships, and it suggests that having one authoritative parent may be a protective factor for late adolescents.