Final answer:
Permissive parents provide a nurturing yet unrestricted environment characterized by few demands and little use of punishment. Children of such parents might lack discipline but may also have higher self-esteem and better social skills. Negative outcomes can include increased risky behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Permissive Parenting
Permissive parents allow their children to do what is unrestricted, often making few demands and rarely employing punishment. They tend to nurture and love their children deeply, sometimes taking on more of a friend role than that of a disciplinarian. These parents might not set bedtime rules, for example, allowing the child to decide their own bedtime. Children raised by permissive parents can sometimes lack self-discipline and this parenting style has been negatively associated with academic performance. However, some studies indicate these children may have higher self-esteem, better social skills, and lower levels of depression.
Despite the leniency and freedom such parenting allows, the consequences can include an increased risk of engaging in risky behaviors such as alcohol abuse, risky sexual behavior, and disruptive behaviors, particularly in male children. The laissez-faire attitude which resembles prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies often persists in the formative years of children's lives, affecting their development and social interactions.
In contrast, the uninvolved parenting style is much less nurturing, with parents being indifferent or neglectful, failing to respond effectively to their children's needs.