Relationship between Parenting Styles, Adolescents Self-Esteem, Emotional State and Assertiveness

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between parenting styles, adolescents self-esteem, assertiveness and emotions (Depression, Anxiety and Stress) of adolescents. Two hundred adolescents between ages 12 and 19 were sampled randomly from five senior secondary schools in the Greater Accra Region. Participants responded to the parental Authority Questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the Assertiveness Inventory. Two major parenting styles namely: Authoritative and Authoritarian, emerged from the data analysis. It was found that adolescents were more likely to have low self-esteem when their parents used the authoritarian style. On the other hand, adolescents were more likely to have high self-esteem when their parents used authoritative style. There was no effect of parenting on assertiveness of adolescents. The study however, revealed that male adolescents were more assertive than females. With respect to emotions, the study found that adolescents’ emotions were negatively affected as parents used more of the authoritarian parenting style, resulting in depression, anxiety and stress. These findings were consistent with other studies. Contrary to other studies, adolescents who received authoritative parenting reported high levels of depression, anxiety and stress.