Parenting Styles and Adolescent Achievement Strategies - Free Paper Example

Introduction

This proposed study is purposed to research how different parenting styles affect adolescents' achievement strategies. It is insinuated that adolescents' achievement strategies in school contribute significantly to better performance in their academics and schoolwork (Dweck, 1990; Nurmi et al., 1995a; Onatsu-Arvilomi and Nurmi, 1998). This study aims to provide a basis for understanding how parenting styles affect adolescents' academic achievement. Even though significant research has been carried out in determining the efficacy of parenting styles on adolescents' achievement strategies, only a small number has focused on the role that other factors such as family setting play in adolescents' growth.

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Literature Review

According to research carried out, achievement strategies are described in three sub-stages. The first one pertains to facing challenging circumstances where, for instance, individuals predict the outcomes of particular situations based on their former experiences in the same condition (Diener and Dweck, 1978). The second one is based on the presumed assumption that a person assimilates themselves with the job by preparing earlier or trying to avoid the task by quitting (Dweck, 1986). The third one, individuals, evaluate their outcome after either triumphing or failing in the given circumstance in cases of causal attribution (Diener and Dweck, 1978; Dweck, 1986). Parenting styles, on the other hand, are in two dimensions, according to Baumrind (1971, 1989) and Maccoby and Martin (1983). The two dimensions of parenting styles include demanding and responsiveness. Demanding, shows the degree to which parents show authority and take charge of parenting their children, while responsiveness is the parents' warmth and affection towards their child. Based on the two dimensions, parents are categorized into different parenting styles that include; authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful parenting.

Studies carried out on adolescent achievement strategies in school have been insufficient and have several limitations. Several studies have been carried out that were focused on parenting styles and how they were seen through the children's achievement strategies (Onatsu-Arvilommi et al., 1998). The research was carried out on elementary school children (Baumrind 1991). This particular study aims to identify the effect of parenting styles on adolescent's achievement strategies in school. Although parenting is placed differently in different families (Baumrind 1989, 1991), most of the studies carried out used a variable-oriented approach that deals with the associated different parenting styles and the outcome variables.

A person-oriented approach that focuses on identifying homogeneous subgroups of parenting styles that have similar characteristics is more effective in studying the typology of parenting styles (Magnusson, 1992). Another limitation was the fact that in previous research, parenting styles were estimated using parental reports or by using speculative data (Baumrind, 1989; Maccoby and Martin 1983) instead of using personal data from the individuals. In some instances, people's own experiences are influential in their behavior; for example, adolescents' achievements are strongly linked to their perception of parenting (Paulson, 1994).

Identification of the Problem

This study is aimed at identifying the level to which adolescent achievement is affected by different parenting styles. Authoritative parents are usually compared to authoritarian parents. The two parenting styles are almost similar, but they differ in relevance to adolescent achievement in school. Authoritative parents are responsive and demanding, but they are not restrictive towards their children and their abilities. They are highly child-centred and are involved in their children's lives. As a result, authoritative parenting is said to be associated with good academic performance, strong school engagement, and positiveness (Maccoby and Martin, 1983). Authoritarian parents are demanding but not responsive, and they demonstrate little affinity, closeness, and warmth to their children compared to authoritative parents. The family is distinguished by high levels of mind control (Baumrind, 1971). Authoritarian parenting ultimately results in the passivity of the children (Barber, 1996). Permissive parents are responsive but not demanding, and they have an amicable and accepting attitude towards their children (Baumrind, 1989). Consequently, children become impulsive because they live in uncontrolled environments (Barber, 1996). Lastly, neglectful parents offer total separation and are uninvolved in their children's lives (Maccoby and Martin, 1983), and their children are highly disadvantaged

The study is also focused on identifying whether gender is a factor in the association between parental styles and adolescent achievement. Researchers suggest that parenting styles have distinct effects on different genders (Baumrind, 1989). The study also aims to identify the levels at which controlling adolescents' self-esteem, concentration ability, and depression would impact the association between parenting styles and adolescent achievement approaches. Self-esteem, depression, and concentration are said to underlie adolescent strategy use while family parenting styles are correlated with children's well-being (Maccoby and Martin, 1983). There is a possibility that adolescent achievement approaches might be explained by people's well-being and concentration ability.

Proposed Hypothesis

The hypothesis is that pubescent individuals from authoritative homes will exhibit the least level of frustration, deference, and job elusion. These adolescents in authoritative families are also reckoned to observe a prime level of self-enhancement attribution compared to other parenting styles. Individuals from authoritarian, permissive, as well as neglectful homes, are expected to show high levels of defective approaches, including frustrations, job avoidance, passive behavior, as well as lack of self-enhancing attributes compared to those with authoritative parenting.

Discussion of Method

The sample will consist of 354 children, 177 girls, and 177 boys all in eighth grade. Parents will be required to sign forms permitting the children to take part in the study. The 14-year-old adolescents will be issued with a questionnaire and a parenting style inventory. Parents will be contacted by mail, and they will be required to fill a questionnaire. The questionnaires will measure parenting styles and the achievement strategies employed by their child.

Achievement strategies were measured with a strategy and attribution questionnaire. It included 23 items, each with a 4-point rating scale. Depression will be assessed using the IDA depression scale. In the IDA depression scale, adolescents will be asked to rate nine items using a 5-point scale. The scale used to measure self-esteem consists of 5 negative and positive comments about self and is calculated using a 4-point rating. It records the highest level of self-esteem in adolescents.

The parents will be issued a strategy and attribution questionnaire for parents to focus on their adolescents' achievement strategies. The scale will include 9 items with a 4-point scale. The scale will have 3 subscales with the first one addressing failure expectation, the second one addressing task-irrelevant behavior, and the third scale will address adolescent self-enhancing attributes. A clustering-by-case procedure will be provided to identify homogenous groups of adolescents' families according to their parenting styles. Several ethical concerns are also in consideration such that full consent will be obtained from the parent or guardian before the study, and the participants will not be subjected to any form of harm. The dignity of the participants will also be upheld.

The proposed project will significantly contribute to both the theoretical understanding of parental styles and adolescent achievement strategies as well as the impact they have on adolescents in different families. The research will also identify whether gender plays any role in the association between parental styles and adolescent achievement strategies. Gender applies to both the parent and the adolescent. This study will create room for further research on how emotions, concentration ability, and depression play a significant role in adolescent achievement strategies. Conclusively the study creates awareness in the scientific world of research on the effects of different parental styles.

References

Barber, B. K. (1997, January 1). Parental psychological control: Revisiting a neglected construct. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/14140388_Parental_Psychological_Control_Revisiting_a_Neglected_ConstructBaumrind, D. (1989, January 1). Rearing competent children. Research

Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232492723_Rearing_Competent_ChildrenDiener, C. I., &Dweck, C. S. (1978, May 1). An analysis of learned helplessness: Continuous changes in performance, strategy, and achievement cognitions following failure. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280808678_An_analysis_of_learned_helplessness_Continuous_changes_in_performance_strategy_and_achievement_cognitions_following_failure

Dweck, C. S. (1986, October 1). Motivational processes affecting learning. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232529071_Motivational_Processes_Affecting_Learning

Maccoby, E. E., & Martin, J. A. (1983, January 1). Socialization in the context of the family: Parent-child interactions. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233821914_Socialization_in_the_Context_of_the_Family_Parent-Child_Interactions