The Effect of Parenting Styles on Executive Function Development in Preschoolers

Executive function skills—like impulse control, flexible thinking, and planning—are critical for young children's success in school and life. But where do these skills come from, and how can parents support their development? Psychological research points to parenting style as a significant influence on the growth of executive function in preschool-aged children.

What Is Executive Function?

Executive function is a set of mental skills that help us manage thoughts, actions, and emotions to achieve goals. In preschoolers, these skills are still emerging and include:

Impulse control: The ability to resist immediate temptations or distractions
Working memory: Holding and using information in the mind temporarily
Cognitive flexibility: Shifting attention between tasks or adapting to changes
Planning and organization: Structuring tasks or making decisions based on goals

These abilities lay the foundation for academic learning, social relationships, and emotional regulation.

Types of Parenting Styles

The classic framework by developmental psychologist Diana Baumrind identifies four main parenting styles:

Authoritative: High warmth and high expectations
Authoritarian: Low warmth and high expectations
Permissive: High warmth and low expectations
Neglectful: Low warmth and low expectations

Each style creates a different emotional environment, which influences how children practice and develop executive function skills during critical early years.

Authoritative Parenting: A Strong Support for Executive Function

Studies consistently show that authoritative parenting—marked by consistent boundaries, warmth, and responsiveness—is associated with stronger executive function in children. These parents:

Model self-regulation and problem-solving behaviors
Encourage age-appropriate decision-making
Provide structured routines that build planning and memory
Help children reflect on their actions and manage frustration

Children raised in authoritative environments often score higher in impulse control and flexible thinking during preschool and beyond.

Authoritarian Parenting: Mixed Outcomes

While authoritarian parents emphasize obedience and discipline, they may do so with less emotional support. Research suggests that this style can lead to short-term compliance but weaker internal regulation:

Children may follow rules but struggle to manage impulses without external control
Reduced autonomy can limit opportunities for planning and independent thinking
Fear of failure may interfere with learning from mistakes

Permissive and Neglectful Styles: Risk Factors for Poorer Executive Function

Permissive parenting offers warmth but lacks boundaries, while neglectful parenting provides neither. In both cases, children may have fewer opportunities to practice delayed gratification, manage routines, or learn consequences:

Less structure can lead to inconsistent habits and weaker impulse control
Limited adult guidance may hinder the development of problem-solving strategies
Neglectful environments, in particular, are linked to poor outcomes across cognitive and emotional domains

How Parents Can Foster Executive Function

No matter your natural style, here are evidence-based strategies to support executive function in preschoolers:

Use routines to build memory and time management skills
Encourage simple decision-making (“Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue one?”)
Model and name emotional regulation (“I feel frustrated, so I’m going to take a deep breath.”)
Break tasks into small steps to support planning
Play games that challenge self-control (like “Simon Says” or “Red Light, Green Light”)

Conclusion

Executive function in preschoolers doesn’t develop in a vacuum. Parenting style plays a powerful role by shaping the environment in which these critical skills are learned and practiced. With warmth, structure, and opportunities for independence, parents can lay a strong foundation for their child’s lifelong cognitive and emotional growth.