This course aims to facilitate a thorough understanding and examination of parent-child relationships. Students will examine research and theories of parenting practices and parent-child interactions. This course will also pay particular attention to processes and contexts that influence parenting behaviours, such as child characteristics, parental and cultural beliefs about parenting, marital relationships, and social conditions that influence family functioning. Major topics will include: parenting theories, models and strategies; parent-child relationships as a function of age and stage of development; and the role of culture, context, and diversity in the negotiation of relational roles in parent-child interactions.