IMPACT OF PARENTAL STYLE ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ADOLESCENTS IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The concept of parenting method includes the customary approaches that parents employ in their parenting styles, exerting significant influence on the mental well-being of children, particularly adolescents. Research consistently indicates that the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship is the most reliable predictor of adolescent mental well-being (Resnick et al., 2019). Ryff (2020) outlines six components of the well-being model, including Self-Acceptance, Purpose in Life, Personal Growth, Positive Relation with Others, Environmental Mastery, and Autonomy. Parents play pivotal roles in their children's lives, and conversely, the parenting methods they adopt impact the well-being of their children, with ramifications extending to society at large. Parenting styles entails nurturing, guiding, directing, overseeing, and disciplining children in preparation for their societal and personal roles. However, the family environment, where face-to-face interactions between parents and children occur, significantly shapes the child's character and worldview, often influencing their social competence. In Africa, especially Nigeria, parenting styles are viewed as a form of education, including the development of physical skills, character, respect for elders, intellectual capabilities, and vocational training (Salamone, 2022). These styles aim to cultivate a sense of belonging, active engagement in family and community affairs, and an appreciation and promotion of cultural heritage. Similarly, physical activities such as wrestling, boxing, tree climbing, music, and dancing are also integrated into parenting methods to foster character development, sociability, honesty, courage, humility, and perseverance. Furthermore, Baumrind (2020) categorizes parenting styles into authoritarian, permissive, and democratic types. Authoritarian parents are rigid, punitive, and demand unquestioning obedience, while permissive parents are warm but provide little direction.  According to Bertin (2019), democratic parents set firm limits while reasoning with and explaining things to their children, aiming for an accepting approach. The parent makes sure the child's emotional and physical needs are satisfied. Self-reliance and independence demonstrate courage in a proactive and encouraging manner (Santrock, 2018). On the other hand, negative parent-child relationships can lead to various issues such as obsessive desire to please, deviance, lying, fear of closeness, lack of confidence, escapism, guilt, worthlessness, and rebelliousness (Calafat et al., 2019). Neglectful parenting also undermines a child's self-confidence, emotional stability  and mental health (Gómez-Ortiz et al., 2018). According to Vaingankar et al. (2018), mental health is a state of well-being that encompasses more than just the absence of illness. It is characterized by an individual's ability to recognize their own abilities, manage life's stresses, work effectively, and give back to their community. It includes both the idea of psychological health and situations of dysfunction. Advocates like Bakunin (2020) stress the importance of parenting styles that foster the development of well-rounded individuals. Additionally, parenting adolescents tends to be more impulsive and may engaged adolescents in behaviour misconduct. In the better cases they are emotionally secure independent and are willing to learn to accept defeat and also able to live life without the help of someone else. Therefore, a survey will be conducted to examine the impact of parental styles on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

Statement of the Problem

According to Gupta and Mechtani (2019), parenting styles nurtures the child’s  physically and contributes to overall well-being.However, families are consistently challenged with the need to adapt and adjust their parenting styles to meet the demands of modern times, particularly when raising children or adolescents. The home, being the child's primary environment post-birth, plays a crucial role in nurturing and shaping genetic predispositions and behaviors. Additionally, a child's behavior can be significantly influenced by their environment, which they often cannot control (Mussen, Conger & Kungan, 2021). In a previous study, Mehrnoush and Mohammadreza (2018) discovered that happiness in children was significantly positively connected with authoritative and permissive parenting styles, however happiness in adolescents was adversely correlated with authoritarian parenting styles. Also, the absence of one parent/ single parenting affects the parenting approach used in the household and may have a big impact on the conduct of the kids growing up there. For example, Golombok (2019) discovered that children reared in fatherless households from infancy to age 15 did not behave in a way that is consistent with society norms. While some of the kids displayed criminal behavior, others just didn't feel good about themselves most of the time. Therefore, parents are tasked with ensuring adolescents are protected from preventable illnesses, dangers, accidents, and various forms of abuse such as sexual harassment, substance abuse, and unplanned pregnancies which will affect their mental health. Furthermore, according to Adeyemo (2018) parents are expected to exert a certain level of control over their children while also possessing sufficient knowledge about their physical, emotional, and social needs to facilitate their behavioral and social adaptation in line with societal values and responsibilities. Given these responsibilities, Nigerian parents need to reassess their parenting styles, particularly in light of the prevailing emphasis on financial pursuits, which has taken precedence in many families. It is crucial for parents to prioritize reinstating the love, care, attention, and unity within the family that may have diminished amidst these changing dynamics. It is in the light of these that the study seeks to examine the impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

 1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to examine the impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria. Specifically, the study will;

Find out the different parenting styles prevalent in Nigerian households.

2. Investigate the influence of  single parenting on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria

3. Ascertain the impact of parenting style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

What are the prevalent parenting styles observed in Nigerian households?

Does single parenting influence the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria?

How does parenting style impact the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

Ho: There is no significant impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

Ha: There is a significant impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

1.6  Significance of the Study

The results of this study will help parents and their adolescents learn how to maintain a cordial relationship and interaction to guide against family conflict. Parents will also be able to portray the right character towards being good models to their children. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to the impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

1.7 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on the impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria. Theoretically, this study will find out the different parenting styles prevalent in Nigerian households, investigate the influence of  single parenting on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria, investigate the influence of parent socio- economic status on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria and ascertain the impact of parental style on the mental health of adolescents in Nigeria.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to residents of Ikorodu,  Lagos state, Nigeria.

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. 

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Parental styles: the various approaches and strategies that parents use to interact with and raise their children.

Mental health: a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

Adolescents: individuals typically between the ages of 10 to 19 years old, transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

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