Children’s perceptions of the parenting styles of their families living in informal human settlements

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the perceptions of children about the parental styles of their families living in the informal human settlements Los Cacaos and Nuevo Amanecer, jurisdiction of Barbosa, Antioquia. The study was defined from the qualitative approach based on the interpretative paradigm that sought to approach the subjects in order to understand them from their own frames of reference. The research techniques used were the discussion group, the workshop and the structured interview. The research highlights that violent and socially vulnerable scenarios can negatively affect the emotional, physical and cognitive development of children, and that respect, affection and assertive communication are fundamental to strengthen their family bonds, as they will serve as resources to face risk situations. In conclusion, affectionate and accepting parenting styles, as is the case of democratic parenting, promote the internalization of norms in scenarios of vulnerability based on the recognition and valuation of the opinions and perceptions of the children regarding family relationships.