Warm and Positive Parenting in Childhood Helps the Next Generation Become Better Parents
A new meta-analysis from researchers at Oregon State University and Utrecht University offers fresh insight into how parenting styles are passed from one generation to the next. The study shows that children who grow up with high acceptance and low negativity from their parents tend to face fewer struggles when they eventually become parents themselves. While the intergenerational link is described as modest, the researchers emphasize that it becomes highly meaningful when viewed across large populations—because nearly everyone is raised by someone, and many later raise children of their own.
The analysis combines data from 24 independent datasets, representing more than 12,000 families, providing the most comprehensive look so far at how parenting behaviors echo through generations. It was published in Psychological Bulletin and led by developmental psychology scholar Sanne Geeraerts of Utrecht University, who worked alongside David Kerr, a psychology professor at Oregon State University.
Researchers found that the parenting a child experiences in early childhood is more predictive of how they will parent later than the parenting they receive during their teen years. This suggests that early interactions—especially those shaped by warmth and acceptance—lay the most influential groundwork for future parenting approaches.
Importantly, the study highlights that negative or low-acceptance parenting does not doom anyone to repeat the same patterns. A parent who grew up with little affection might still become deeply loving and attentive. However, the researchers note that such individuals may face more challenges, partly because they lacked a strong positive example in their own upbringing.
The results of the meta-analysis help clarify previously mixed findings in the field. Earlier studies often relied on adults trying to recall how they were parented, but memory is easily influenced by current relationships and emotions. To avoid this bias, the new research focused on studies that measured parenting in real time, as interactions happened, rather than relying on retrospective accounts. The analysis also stood out for including a larger number of studies involving fathers, an area where research has historically been limited.
The findings are intended to support more effective parenting programs. By understanding which dimensions of parenting are most linked to intergenerational patterns, interventions can emphasize acceptance, warmth, and reduced negativity, potentially helping break cycles of harsh or ineffective parenting while strengthening healthy parenting practices already present in families.
Researchers also point out that most parents focus primarily on the immediate moment—trying to guide or correct a child’s behavior right now. But the study encourages parents to recognize that their everyday responses ripple far into the future, shaping not only their children’s development but potentially their grandchildren’s parenting styles as well.
What This Study Adds to Existing Knowledge About Parenting
While the research presents new evidence, it fits into a long history of studies examining how parenting choices influence children into adulthood. Traditional theories have often divided parenting styles into categories such as authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful, with authoritative parenting—marked by warmth, structure, and responsiveness—linked to the best outcomes for children.
Earlier work has shown that inadequate or harsh parenting can increase the risk of behavioral or emotional problems in children, and some studies suggest that these effects can extend into the next generation. There is also evidence that grandparents’ parenting can indirectly shape grandchildren through its influence on how parents behave.
However, research over the years has consistently found that parenting is not simply copied from one generation to the next. Environmental factors, personal growth, therapy, supportive partners, and education all play roles in modifying or even reversing negative patterns.
One of the most important aspects of this new meta-analysis is its scale. A dataset of 12,000 families provides much stronger evidence than smaller, individual studies. The finding that early childhood parenting predicts later parenting more strongly than teen-year parenting supports the idea that the earliest relationships matter most in shaping parenting instincts and behavior.
Why Acceptance and Low Negativity Matter So Much
Acceptance refers to the general tone of warmth, encouragement, and emotional support between parent and child. Negativity, on the other hand, includes criticism, hostility, and expressions of disapproval. According to the researchers, these two dimensions are more influential than other parenting factors when it comes to intergenerational transmission.
One reason may be that warmth and acceptance help children develop secure attachments and better emotional regulation skills—traits that carry into adulthood and influence how individuals treat others, including their children. Meanwhile, negativity can impair confidence, increase stress responses, and make it harder for individuals to maintain patience and empathy later in life.
Because of this, programs designed to improve parenting could benefit from focusing heavily on boosting positive interactions and reducing hostile or negative ones. These small but consistent changes in everyday life can shape the emotional environment of a household more effectively than focusing exclusively on discipline or structure.
How the Research Was Conducted
To produce more reliable findings, the meta-analysis looked at longitudinal studies, meaning researchers observed parenting behaviors as they naturally occurred, sometimes over many years. This avoids the pitfalls of memory-based reports and provides clearer evidence of how parenting behaviors develop and evolve.
The analysis not only measured parenting in two generations but also looked at factors that could strengthen or weaken the intergenerational connection. It found that:
- The link between generations was stronger when parenting behaviors were measured in mothers or in both parents together.
- There was noticeable variation among different datasets, suggesting that cultural, social, and economic environments also influence how parenting styles are transmitted.
- The strongest associations emerged in studies measuring parenting during early childhood, consistent with developmental theories that place early relationships at the center of social and emotional growth.
Despite these variations, the overall conclusion remained that positive parenting does tend to echo from one generation to the next, even if the effect is not extremely large.
What This Means for Parents Today
The study’s message is both encouraging and realistic. On one hand, it shows that warm, positive parenting behaviors can influence not just children but generations to come. On the other hand, it acknowledges that parents are not bound to repeat the past. Even those who lacked positive parenting models can become effective, loving parents with the right support and awareness.
The researchers hope that recognizing the long-term impact of moment-to-moment parent–child interactions will empower caregivers to choose responses that are not only helpful now but beneficial for the future. A calm conversation instead of harsh criticism, or a moment of understanding rather than frustration, might make a difference far beyond what any parent imagines in that moment.
Research Reference:
Intergenerational Stability in Parenting Across Two Generations: A Multilevel Meta-Analytic Review
