Relationship between perceived parenting styles and self-esteem of senior high school students in Ghana

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the relationship between perceived parenting styles and self-esteem of three Senior High School students in Ghana. The design used was a cross-sectional survey. A multi-stage random sampling technique was used to select 340 students whose responses to the adapted Morris Rosenberg self-esteem scale instrument and Parental Authority questionnaire. Percentage and correlation were the analytical tools. The result of the study showed that authoritative parenting style was the most predominant parenting style practiced by the parents of the students. There were significant negative relationships between two of the parenting styles and self-esteem: authoritarian and neglectful. And there were no statistical significant relationships found between authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles and self-esteem of the student. Among others it was concluded that parenting styles of the parents related to the self-esteem of the students, and that the more authoritarian, neglectful, or permissive the parents are the more negative the self-esteem of their children may be. It is recommended that school guidance counsellors should educate and encourage parents to apply appropriate proportions of parenting dimensions to ensure that students develop positive self-esteem.