Question

Ryan grew up in a family of four boys. He and his brothers have never engaged in acting-out behaviors, such as excessive drinking or drug use. However, now that they are in their teens, they tend to be depressed and withdrawn from their peers. Their parents are most likely ____.

a. authoritarian
b. uninvolved
c. indulgent
d. authoritative

Answer 1

The behavior of Ryan and his brothers suggests they may have uninvolved parents, a style characterized by indifference and limited interaction, often leading to emotional issues in children.

Step-by-step explanation:

Ryan and his brothers' behavior of being depressed and withdrawn from peers might be indicative of an uninvolved parenting style. Uninvolved parenting is characterized by a lack of responsiveness to a child's needs, and minimal communication. While the parents provide basic needs, they generally do not have much interaction beyond that, potentially leading to issues such as emotional withdrawal and anxiety in children. Since the boys have not engaged in acting-out behaviors but show signs of depression, this suggests that while some of the extreme neglect symptoms like substance abuse are not present, other serious emotional impacts are.

It is also essential to recognize that while different parenting styles have various effects on child development, these effects can also vary as a function of culture and socio-economic factors. Still, the behaviors described in the question are most consistently associated with uninvolved parenting.