‘Tiger Babies’ Harmed by ‘Tiger Moms,’ UC Researchers Say

Recent studies by psychologists at UC Berkeley reveal that authoritarian parenting, otherwise known as "tiger-parenting," is detrimental to a child's emotional and mental health. 

The authoritarian parenting style is "typically rigid and punitive and can use verbal hostility and even corporal punishment" combined with unreasonably high expectations and pressure, according to a recent press release from UC Berkeley. 

The effects of authoritarian parenting have been examined long before the success of Amy Chua's 2011 memoir, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother." 

But with the recent publication of "Tiger Babies Strike Back," written by UC Berkeley alumna Kim Wong Keltner, the debate is back on everyone's radar. 

Keltner addresses the negative effects of "tiger-parenting," using her own experiences and observations of other Asian families. 

"Behind the straight A's and perfect scores, emotionally we are neglected and denied affection in pursuit of 'saving face' and bragging rights," wrote Keltner in an email exchange. 

Her testimony aligns with the recent findings from UC Berkeley. 

According to Qing Zhou, assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley, "children raised by authoritarian parents are showing maladaptive outcomes, such as depression, anxiety and poor social skills." 

Zhou and her team's findings are backed by evidence from over 600 surveys of Chinese and Chinese-American families. 

Their research suggests that authoritative parenting, which combines the best of authoritarian parenting and permissive parenting, is the key to a happy and successful child. 

"I strongly feel that being belittled and berated by a parent is always damaging. Being harangued into playing a perfect piece of music is not worth the long-term effects of emotional evisceration," said Keltner. 
 
The conflicting "Tiger" views over child-rearing has close ties to UC Berkeley and the Bay Area. Keltner, born and raised in San Francisco, met her husband Rolf Keltner (brother of UC Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner) in a UC Berkeley class on Chaucer. And Chua, a Yale Law School professor whose father is a retired Cal professor of engineering, spent most of her school-age years in El Cerrito, where she graduated from El Cerrito High.