According to a recent study, children whose parents bring them up using the "tough love" principle are likely to be more successful in life. The study by think-tank Demos has confirmed that a good balance of love and discipline helps raise children who display improved social skills as compared to those children who have undergone laissez-faire, authoritarian or disengaged upbringings.

Report author Jen Lexmond said, "It is confidence, warmth and consistent discipline that matter most".

For the sake of research, Demos tracked the lives of 9,000 families and revealed that 13% of the total families used the "tough love" and it did not matter if the family was rich or poor, as long as the said approach was used, their children most likely turned out to be empathetic, more in control of their emotions and were able to come over disappointment more easily.

Strength of character, as per the study, was more dependent on the parenting style followed instead of household earnings and/or social background.

In all, while 13% followed the tough love approach, 8% families adopted the laissez-faire method, 10% were authoritative and 8% disengaged. The remaining families did not fall into any one of these categories.