What It Means
Uninvolved parenting is the style that is low in responsiveness (warmth and attention) and low in demandingness (rules, expectations and supervision). Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin added it in 1983 as the fourth style next to Diana Baumrind's authoritative, authoritarian and permissive styles, and researchers also call it neglectful. The parent meets few of the child's emotional needs and sets or enforces few rules.
Try It: Count This Week's Warmth and Structure
A private tally for a busy week, not a diagnosis. Tick what happened at least once in the last seven days.
A thin week. Pick one warmth item and one structure item and put them on the calendar for the next seven days.
One side is lighter than the other. Add one item from the lighter column next week.
Both warmth and structure showed up this week.
How Parents Say It
- "Nobody ever asked where I was going."
- "I was pretty much raising myself."
- "I've been so checked out lately, I barely see the kids."
The Breakdown
Where it sits, per Britannica and research reviews on PubMed Central
| Style | Responsiveness (warmth) | Demandingness (control) |
|---|---|---|
| Uninvolved | Low | Low |
| Authoritative | High | High |
Small ways back in, by age, from CDC's Positive Parenting Tips
| Age | One thing to try |
|---|---|
| Infants (0 to 1 year) | Give lots of loving attention and spend time cuddling and holding your baby |
| ToddlersToddlerA child from 1 to 3 years old, the stage CDC's parenting guidance places between infancy and the preschool years. See more (1 to 2 years) | Talk with your toddler and add to the words they start |
| Toddlers (2 to 3 years) | Praise your child when they follow instructions and behave well |
| PreschoolersPreschoolerA child from 3 to 5 years old, the age band the CDC uses for its preschool parenting guidance. See more (3 to 5 years) | Keep reading together and visit the library |
When to talk to someone. Parents sometimes pull back because of exhaustion, depression, money stressFinancial anxietyOngoing worry or unease about money, your bills or how you handle your finances, sometimes with physical signs such as lost sleep. See more or their own health. If that's you, tell your own doctor. And when you're worried about how your child is doing, their pediatrician or school counselor is a good place to start.
Where It Comes From
Diana Baumrind described three styles in 1967. In 1983 Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin organized parenting on two dimensions, responsiveness and demandingness, and named the fourth combination, low on both, the uninvolved style.
Good to Know
Research summarized by Britannica and in reviews on PubMed Central has associated uninvolved parenting with the poorest outcomes of the four styles. Those findings describe groups of families. A hard stretch at work or home isn't the same as a parenting styleParenting styleThe overall way a parent guides a child, usually described on two dimensions, warmth and demands, which give four styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved. See more, and a style can change: small, regular moments of attention and a few steady rules are where CDC's tips begin.
FAQ
What is an example of uninvolved parenting?
A parent who rarely asks about school, doesn't know who their child spends time with and sets no bedtime or other rules. Cleveland Clinic describes the style as low affection with few, if any, enforced rules.
Is uninvolved parenting the same as neglect?
Researchers use "neglectful" as another name for the style. In research it labels a pattern of low warmth and few rules, and it isn't a legal finding about any family.
Who named uninvolved parenting?
Eleanor Maccoby and John Martin, in 1983. They added it to the three styles Diana Baumrind described in the 1960s.
Do It in Buhata
Calendar and Reminders
Put one warmth moment and one steady routine, like a set bedtime, on your Calendar in Buhata with a Reminder so they happen even in a busy week.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- Authoritative parenting
A parenting style that pairs warmth and responsiveness with clear rules and high expectations. It is one of the four styles in parenting research.
- Authoritarian parenting
A parenting style high in rules and control but low in warmth, where children are expected to obey without discussion. One of the four styles in parenting research.
- Permissive parenting
A parenting style that is warm and accepting but sets few rules or limits. Researchers also call it indulgent parenting; it is one of the four styles.
- Parenting style
The overall way a parent guides a child, usually described on two dimensions, warmth and demands, which give four styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and uninvolved.
- Parental burnout
Exhaustion from the job of parenting that builds when its demands outweigh a parent's resources for a long time, often with emotional distance from the children.
Sources
Britannica, "Parenting: Parenting styles and child outcomes"; PubMed Central (NIH), "Parenting Dimensions and Styles: A Brief History and Recommendations for Future Research"; PubMed Central (NIH), "Parenting Styles: A Closer Look at a Well-Known Concept"; Cleveland Clinic, "The 4 Parenting Styles and Their Effect on Kids"; CDC, "Positive Parenting Tips: Infants (0 to 1 years)"; CDC, "Positive Parenting Tips: Toddlers (1 to 2 years old)"; CDC, "Positive Parenting Tips: Preschoolers (3 to 5 years old)"
- www.britannica.com/topic/parenting/Parenting-styles-and-child-outcomes
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3746212
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6323136
- health.clevelandclinic.org/parenting-styles
- www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/infants.html
- www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/toddlers-1-2-years.html
- www.cdc.gov/child-development/positive-parenting-tips/preschooler-3-5-years.html
Last updated .