Can supportive parenting counterbalance external societal intolerance?
Parents can play an important role in fostering resilience, independence, confidence, self-esteem, social skills, and other positive qualities that may help their children cope with external societal pressures.
Research shows that parents cannot completely protect their children from such pressures. In fact, studies have found that even highly supportive parents are unable to fully shield their children from negative societal influences.
LGBTQ+ youth who report receiving strong parental support still experience higher rates of depression and anxiety than those who do not identify as LGBTQ+. While supportive parenting may alleviate some of the effects of societal intolerance, it is unlikely to be a panacea for all issues related to identity formation and mental health.
Research findings
A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health examined how supportive parenting impacted the mental health outcomes of LGBTQ+ youth. The researchers surveyed 507 young adults aged 18-24 years old about their experiences with societal intolerance and their relationships with their parents. They also administered measures of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The results showed that while supportive parenting was associated with better mental health outcomes overall, there were no significant differences between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ youth who reported high levels of support. This suggests that supportive parenting alone may not be enough to counteract the negative effects of external societal pressures on LGBTQ+ individuals' mental health.
Implications for parents and society
While supportive parenting is important for helping children navigate the world, it should not be seen as a magic bullet for all psychological problems. Parents should strive to create an emotionally safe environment where their children feel comfortable discussing difficult topics like sexuality and gender identity.
They must also recognize that they cannot completely shield their children from external influences. As such, families and communities need to work together to address broader cultural attitudes toward diversity and difference. It is crucial to promote tolerance, acceptance, and understanding across social institutions, including schools, media, politics, and religion. By doing so, we can help foster more positive environments in which all people can thrive, regardless of their identities or backgrounds.
Can supportive parenting counterbalance external societal intolerance?
The degree to which supportive parenting can counterbalance external societal intolerance depends on several factors such as the severity of the intolerance, the family's cultural background and social environment, and the child's ability to internalize positive messages from their parents despite negative ones from others.