Parent-Child Relations: History, Theory, Research, and Context - Softcover

A core text for the Parenting or Parent-Child Relations course. Unique in its contextual approach to its subject, this well-researched, applied, brief new text explores "parenting through the lifespan." It takes a cross-cultural look at five major aspects of parent-child relations - the history, philosophy, and theories of childrearing; variations in childrearing patterns; parent-child relations from a developmental perspective; challenges presented by special needs and situations; and child socialization strategies. Early on, the author examines how cultural beliefs affect parent-child relations and explores the influence of variations in families regarding marital status, sexual orientation, and nonparent adult caregiving, and nonparent adult caregiving. In-depth coverage of parenting strategies supports all of the text's content and provides guidance for professionals who work with children, parents and guardians, and other caregivers.

Phyllis Heath is a professor in the Department of Human Environment Studies at Central Michigan University. She has also taught courses for Michigan State University in Okinawa, Japan. She was educated at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (she earned a BA in Psychology), the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (where she earned a MA in Human Development and Learning) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (where she earned a PhD in Child Development and Family Relations). Her research has focused on the ways in which parent-child relationships impact the development of children and adolescents. This research has included the impact of parenting patterns on children's social competence, factors influencing parenting patterns (such as gender role ideology and locus of control), and more recently, the links between parenting patterns and adolescent depression. She is presently researching parenting patterns of indigenous people and is also continuing her work on parenting patterns and adolescent depression. She lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.