THE PARENTING STYLE AND MENTAL HEALTH OF UNDERGRADUATES IN KWARA STATE, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the Study

Parenting style refers to the way parents interact with each other and with children. Mental health describes the level of cognitive and emotional welfare as well as the absence of mental disorders (Nesse, 2005). Studies have shown that parent-child interactions and relationships and parenting style can affect mental health both in positive and negative ways (Dwairy&Menshar, (2006). Parenting practices influence children’s emotional and psychological development, such that positive parenting is associated with positive outcomes such as high self-esteem, emotional responsiveness and empathy while negative parenting is associated with peer-pressured risky behaviours, low self-esteem, aggressive behaviour and encourages mental health problems (Obimakinde et al., 2019).

Parenting styles can be seen as two underlying constructs of warmth and control (Hock et al., 2018). Warmth can be defined as positive regard, acceptance, affection, and support from the parent to the child whereas, in contrast, control can be defined as discipline and limited freedom (Hock et al., 2018). Past research has shown that culture and traditional upbringings influence parenting style. There have also been studies done on parenting styles and its relation to the amount of depression observed in gender (Hock et al., 2018). It was shown that “girls were more likely to report strict parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian) than were boys for both mothers and fathers” (Hock et al., 2018). When looking at levels of depression observed in gender, it was shown that authoritarian parenting style was associated with decreased depressive symptoms in males and increased depressive levels in females. (Hock et al., 2018).

Depression and anxiety are more common where both father and mother are perceived as authoritarian (McKinney et al., 2011). Children of authoritarian parents are poor in self-control and emotional regulation than authoritative parents resulting in psychopathology (Williams et al., 2012). A permissive parenting style leads to the development of poor self-concept and mental health (Niaraki& Rahimi, 2013). Chan and Koo (2011) found that authoritarian parenting style is linked with social problems, delinquent acts, and a lower accomplishment rate. Positive and supportive parenting behavior predicts better mental health among adolescents (Singh et al., 2018). The gender of the parent is reported to influence the perception of parenting style. Society and culture direct the role of mother and father socially to a great extent. In most societies, cultural norms are such that mothers spend more time with children than the fathers, consequent to which they are expected to dedicate more time catering to the emotional and psychological needs of children whereas fathers are expected to be providers and disciplinarians (Ang, 2006; McKinney &Renk, 2008a; Phares et al., 2009).

According to Spera (2005) the way parents make up their children and the ways they reacted to their children’s compliment can be the factor that influences children’s will to achieve their purpose or goal. Chao (2012) showed that parent, through their styles of parenting build critical foundation for every area of children’s  development and achievement. Nigerian fathers have been described as ‘‘the detached disciplinarian’’ Ang (2006). Indian society is patriarchal, and various factors contributing to this system persist today (Sinclair, 2021). However, fathers have also started spending more time with their children in the past few decades (Gryczkowski et al., 2010). Although there is no consensus on the theory of parenting and how it shapes children's development, the existing research base indicates that parenting style has a major influence on the adolesecent’s development (Thergaonkar&Wadkar, 2007). The perspective with which children perceive their parent's parenting influences the children's mental health. Furthermore, the gender of the parent has an impact on the shaping of a child's personality under the patriarchal society. The present research attemptsto investigate the impact of parenting styles on the health of undergraduates in selected undergraduates in Nigeria.

1. Statement of the Problem

Child foundation begin at home which serves as the first point of contact for the child and family is the socializing agent of children that impact knowledge on them either good or bad. It is through family that personality traits, social competence, psychological, emotional, physical and educational development of children developed as a result of the parenting styles, the parents adopt and use in bringing child up (Bolghan- Abaadi et al., 2011). Types of parenting styles use by parent depend on what style they use to bring the child up, this creates a growth inhibiting relationship and environment which may affects children in all area of their lives, especially academic competence and success. This means that it will lead to instability and confusion in the children (Frazier, 2013), which consequently affect their developmental outcomes and learning ability. Poor cognitive systems as a result of inadequate parenting style would be developed as well learning competence, which would lead to poor learning among students. Recent developments in the field of parenting and family studies have led to the interest in the relationship between mental health and parenting style (Bolghan- Abaadi et al., 2011). Meanwhile, despite this relationship between the two variables, there is a dearth in literature specifically on the most adopted parent styles by parents, how parenting styles influence mental health of undergraduates, the type of parenting styles that is likely to lead to mental health issues. It is based on this back drop  that the present study seeks to fill the dearth by answering the following assertions.

1. Research Questions

The following questions will give the present study a direction;

1. What is the parenting style that is most practice in Nigeria based on the opinions of undergraduates?
2. To what extent does parenting style have a significant influence on the health of undergraduates?
3. Which type of parenting style can possibly lead to poor mental health among undergraduates?
4. Is there is a significant relationship between parenting style and mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State?

Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study is to examine the parenting style and health of undergraduate in Kwara State. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1. To determine the significant influence of parenting style on mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State.
2. To examine the parenting style that is most practice in Nigeria based on the opinions of undergraduates.
3. To examine which parenting style can possibly lead to poor mental health among undergraduates.
4. To determine the if there is a significant relationship between parenting style and health of undergraduate in Kwara State

Research Hypotheses

The following were hypothesized in this study;

Hypothesis One

H0: There is no significant influence of parenting style on mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State.

H1:There is a significant influence of parenting style on mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State

Hypothesis Two

H0: There is no significant relationship betweenparenting style and mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State.

H1: There is a significant relationship between parenting style and mental health of undergraduate in Kwara State

1. Justification for the Study

The significance of this study is to examine the influence of parenting styles on the mental health of undergraduates in Kwara State. This study will provide answers to the parenting style that is most practice in Nigeria based on the opinions of undergraduates, the parenting style that can possibly lead to poor mental health among undergraduates as well as the nature of the relationship between parenting styles and mental health of undergraduates.

This study will provide insight on how parenting styles influence the health of undergraduates. The study is therefore of importance to many individuals including, school management will be made aware of importance of learning the parenting styles that a student goes through in order to avoid poor learning performance.

The relevance of this study can be seen in the combination of personality, parenting style and learning strategies. The study will also benefit parents in learning how their parenting styles influence their children learning in school and society at large.

The study will make each student to understand themselves in term of learning. Finally, the study will add to the body of knowledge.

1.6 Scope of the Study

The scope of this study is to examine the influence of parenting styles on the mental health of undergraduates in Kwara State, Nigeria. This study will be limited to how parenting styles influences the mental health of undergraduates; the most parenting styles adopted by parents as well as the type of parenting styles that is likely to lead to mental health issues in adolescent. This study will be limited to Federal University of Illorin (UNI-ILLORIN).