Optimal parenting is the combination of high care and low control.

Ohio State University, Columbus

The PBI is a 25-item questionnaire, having 12 items measuring “care” and 13 items measure “overprotection”. The child takes this test, listing their own experiences with their parent(s). The responses are on a 4-point scale, ranging from 0 (very unlikely) to 3 (very likely). It focuses on a “Care versus Over-protection” style of parenting, as well as some parental support assessment. Based on responses, parents will be put into one of four categories: affectionate constraint, affectionless control, optimal parenting, and neglectful parenting. 

The Parental Bonding Instrument Test

Wilhelm, K., Gillis, I., & Parker, G. (2016, March 16). Parental Bonding and Adult Attachment Style: The Relationship between Four Category Models. ClinMed Journals. Retrieved August 16, 2022, from https://clinmedjournals.org/articles/ijwhw/international-journal-of-womens-health-and-wellness-ijwhw-2-016.pdf 

Parental Bonding and Adult Attachment Style

Care relates to the actions and behaviors that one shows to assist another person in their wellbeing. Caring parents act like a safety net behind their children, ready to help them if they need help. Parents exhibiting overprotection, or control, show excessive involvement in a child’s life, are typically domineering, and display intrusive behaviors. 

Care vs. Overprotection/Control

Affectionate constraint is the combination of high care and high control. 

Affectionate Constraint

Affectionless control is the combination of low care and high control. Affectionless control shown by the father was the only parenting style shown to significantly contribute to improved academic performance.

Affectionless Control

Optimal Parenting

Neglectful parenting is the combination of low care and low control. 

Neglectful Parenting

Parental support is positive behavior towards a child, like praise, encouragement, and physical affection. These are indications that help the child acknowledge they’re accepted, appreciated, and loved. 

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