This study examined concurrent and long-term effects of parents' teaching strategies on their children's cognitive styles. A total of 83 mothers and 74 fathers helped their 4-year-old sons or daughters with 4 problem-solving tasks. The interactions between parents and children were observed and evaluated. Two measures of field dependence-independence (FDI) were administered when the children were 4, 7, 11, and 14 years of age. There were distinctive differences in parental teaching strategies, depending on the child's FDI status. Parents of field-independent children granted them autonomy in the task and helped with the cognitive aspects of the task. A positive emotional ambience characterized the teaching situation. Parents of field-dependent children were rigidly controlling and quite critical of their children's performance. Outcomes for father-son and father-daughter pairings were comparable, but the mother-son dyad generated more powerful effects than the mother-daughter dyad. The effects held across the 10-year period. Appended are three references and related materials. (GLR)