Parenting Styles and Mental Health among Adolescents of Nawabshah (SBA), SINDH

Abstract

Background: Parenting styles are crucial in shaping adolescents' mental health. With varying implications for child development, the authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles identified by Baumrind have been subjects of extensive research. The interplay between these parenting approaches and adolescent mental health outcomes remains a pivotal area of inquiry, especially in diverse cultural contexts such as Nawabshah (SBA), Sindh. Objective: This study aimed to identify the predominant parenting styles in SBA and to assess their relationship with the mental health of school-going adolescents. Specifically, it sought to explore the association between authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adolescents. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 354 adolescents from both government and private secondary and higher secondary schools in Nawabshah. Participants were selected using non-probability convenience sampling. Data were collected via a survey incorporating the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for assessing mental health and the Parent Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) for evaluating parenting styles. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, employing the Pearson correlation coefficient to analyze the relationship between parenting styles and adolescent mental health. Results: The study found a predominance of the authoritative parenting style among participants' parents (56.2%). A significant yet low negative correlation was identified between authoritative parenting and moderate depression in adolescents (r = -.124, p < 0.05). Additionally, combinations of parenting styles were observed, with a notable presence of mixed authoritative-authoritarian practices. Adolescents experiencing authoritative parenting reported higher instances of moderate depression compared to those with other parenting styles. Conclusion: The findings challenge the universally positive portrayal of authoritative parenting, highlighting its complex relationship with adolescent mental health in the SBA context. The study underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of parenting styles and their impact, advocating for culturally sensitive approaches in parenting research.