PARENTING STYLES AS PERCEIVED BY PARENTS AND ADOLESCENTS
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Date
2004
Authors
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ACHARYA N.G. RANGA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, RAJENDRANAGAR, HYDERABAD
Abstract
Parents influence their children in every aspect of their lives
particularly in adolescence period, in the type of parenting approach they adopt
to rear their child. Parenting style is defined as the manner in which parents
treat, communicate, discipline, monitor and support their children (Slicker, et .
al, 2003). Adolescence is the developmental stage following childhood and
preceding adulthood (Kreip, 1985). A critical developmental task of adolescence
is to achieve autonomy, the capacity to make decisions independently and
manage tasks without being overly dependent on significant elders. The
relationship between parents and adolescents goes through a crucial transition
during this period as, adolescents demand autonomy while parents are
ambiguous in the kind of parenting approach to be adopted particularly in
issues that demand a balance between authority enforced and autonomy granted
to adolescents. Parents want their adolescents to become autonomous, and
adolescents want freedom to become autonomous.
The present study entitled “Parenting styles as perceived by parents
and adolescents” is an attempt to explore the perceptions that parents and
adolescents have with regard to parenting styles adopted during late adolescence
period (16 - 18 years).
The study on parenting approaches adopted by parents were
restricted to 4 areas of adolescent life that included behaviour and discipline,
education, social life and interaction pattern. The study was conducted in
Private Junior Colleges in the twin cities of Hyderabad - Secunderabad
comprising a sample of 180 respondents (60 adolescents and 120 parents). Data
was collected from the respondents through a pre - tested questionnaire. It was
then coded, scored, tabulated, analysed and interpreted using appropriate
statistical procedures.
Results indicated that majority of the adolescents and parents
perceived authoritative approach to be the most adopted style of parenting
where parents balanced their conformity demands in the authority exercised and
autonomy granted to adolescents. Though adolescents and parents mostly shared
similar perceptions with regard to parenting approaches of parents in all the
four areas included in the study, differences in perceptions of mothers and
adolescents were evident with respect to parenting styles adopted. Particularly
with regard to perceptions in the domain of adolescent behaviour and
discipline, where mothers perceived their approach to be authoritarian involving
strict and disciplined behaviour from adolescents while, adolescents perceived
their mother’s approach as authoritative and permissive indicating, that mother’s
parenting approach was not effective enough to be perceived as authoritarian by
adolescents.
Differences in perceptions of adolescent boys and girls were
evident in parenting styles adopted by mothers in the areas of behaviour and
discipline and education.
Independent variables such as parent’s age, education, income and
adolescent’s age and education were found to have significant influence on
perceptions of adolescents and parents regarding parenting styles. With the
increase in educational and income status of parents, a more permissive
approach was perceived to be adopted by parents. Similarly, with increase in
the age and education status of adolescents, parents were perceived to be more
permissive in their approaches adopted for adolescent development.
Since, majority of the sample included respondents belonging to
families where parents had average education and income, authoritative
approach was perceived to be the most adopted parenting style by both parents
and adolescents.
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Keywords
PARENTING, STYLES, PERCEIVED, PARENTS, ADOLESCENTS