IMPLICATION OF PARENTING STYLES ON MORAL BEHAVIOR OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Moral development encompasses the evolution of an individual’s thoughts, actions, and emotions concerning the principles of right and wrong. It has two dimensions: an intrapersonal dimension, which pertains to an individual’s fundamental values and self-perception, and an interpersonal dimension, which focuses on the expected conduct during interactions with others. The relationship between a parent and a child plays a pivotal role in an adolescent’s moral development.
During adolescence, individuals begin to reason in a logical, abstract, and deductive manner. They start to juxtapose reality with ideals and formulate hypothetical propositions (Gibbs, 2019). They develop the cognitive ability to connect the distant past with the present, comprehend their societal roles, and conceptualize their thoughts. They also start to perceive their mental constructs as tangible objects.
The period of adolescence is distinct from the parent-child relationship phase, where parents hold authority and children do not. In the pre-adolescence stage, moral reasoning is less likely to progress as rules are often imposed autocratically. Adolescents, despite being raised to refrain from immoral acts such as stealing, killing, cheating, or robbing, may encounter contradictions between their accepted moral concepts and experiences outside their family and neighborhood.
Walker and Pitts (2017) suggest that adolescents begin to understand that their belief system is one among many, and that moral right and wrong are subjects of considerable debate. They start to question their previous beliefs and, in the process, develop their own moral framework.
Parenting styles significantly influence adolescents, as parents play a crucial role in their transition to adulthood and academic achievement. The family unit is a key factor in a child’s academic success, being the primary source of a child’s education (Sumari, Hussein, & Siraj, 2020). Parenting styles, discipline techniques, parental involvement, and the home environment have been shown to enhance a child’s academic performance.
Parents are entrusted with the task of nurturing their adolescents until they reach a stage of self-reliance. Erick-Erickson (2001) suggested that parents have a vested interest in their adolescents’ social conduct and academic achievements. Social behavior involves an individual’s interactions with others and the development of the ability to behave in line with societal expectations.
It’s crucial to note that social behavior in adolescents is vital as it aids them in discerning right from wrong within their society. Thompson (2018) proposed that adolescents partially acquire a sense of right and wrong through parenting styles and daily conversations with parents, who impart simple lessons about people’s emotions, the repercussions of breaking rules, and the expectations of good behavior. Discipline, when administered by parents, is aimed at the holistic development of adolescents into responsible members of society. Onyechi and Okere (2018) stated that adolescence requires parental love, care, warmth, and serious attention for adequate adjustment to their environment. Generally, the social behavior of adolescents depends on the style of parenting. Utti (2017) observed that parenting is a significant vehicle in socializing the child. Parenting, as defined by Harvard (2018), is the process of family involvement that consists of parents’ attitudes, values, and practices in raising youths.
Parenting styles refer to the methods parents use in raising children, which profoundly impact their growth, character, personality, and behavioral traits. Thus, it’s unsurprising that research has consistently found a link between parenting styles and children’s moral development (Chan and Koo, 2021). Previous work by Baumrind (1971) and others indicates that forms of parenting that encourage the child’s involvement in discussion and the exploration of reasons behind moral rules are associated with developmental benefits. Researchers found that the children of parents who employ inductive parenting techniques, that is, explaining to children the reasons behind a rule or prohibition, tended to achieve higher ratings in terms of moral maturity and behavior.
Parenting styles play a vital role in adolescents’ moral development (Borkowski, Ramey, and Bristol-Power, 2011). Baumrind (1971) pointed out that parenting styles have two conceptual terms of behavior: control and responsiveness. These two behavioral factors form authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful styles. The most commonly used styles by parents were authoritative and neglectful (Chan and Koo, 2021).
For this research, parenting styles might be of three types: authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive. Authoritative parents are demanding and responsive. They monitor and impart clear standards for their children’s conduct. They are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are supportive, rather than punitive. They want their children to be assertive as well as socially responsible, self-regulated, and cooperative. Authoritarian parents are highly demanding and directive but not responsive. They are obedience and status-oriented and expect their orders to be obeyed without explanation. Permissive parents are more responsive than they are demanding. They are nontraditional and lenient, do not require mature behavior, allow considerable self-regulation, and avoid confrontation.
Literature has established that all the mentioned parenting styles have various influences on a child’s behavior, be it moral or immoral. For instance, Bharadwaj (2022) found a significant relationship between parenting style and some dimensions of quality of life, including physical well-being, psychological well-being, social support and peers, and autonomy. There was also a significant relationship between family communication patterns and parent relation and home life as well as children’s behavior.
Regrettably, some parents, particularly working parents who are supposed to be the first teachers of their children, over pamper or do not spend enough time or are too lenient with their children. Thus, parental care, attention, and supervision of children are sometimes delegated to nannies, daycare centers, or other caregivers. These individuals may not be able to provide the same level of parental love, care, monitoring, and supervision as parents would have done. In short, modernization and the quest for wealth have become detrimental to the noble role of proper parenting.
Statement of the problems
It has been observed that secondary school students in Ilejemeje local government area are exhibiting various forms of immoral behavior, including cultism, substance abuse, rape, kidnapping, killing, examination malpractices, prostitution, and teenage pregnancy. This situation has become a significant concern for both school authorities and researchers. Although other socialization agencies play a role, the critical question is: what influence does parenting style have on the moral development of secondary school students? The decline in moral standards may have contributed to the erosion of core values such as hard work, respect for life, and respect for authority. Parental discipline involves control, monitoring, concern, encouragement and consistency which are all aspects of the parent-child relationship that could affect academic achievement in adolescents. Consequently, this study sought to find out the implication of Parenting Styles on moral behaviour and of secondary schools students in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti State
Objectives of the Study
The general objective of the study was to determine the Implication of parenting styles on moral behavior of secondary school students in ilejemeje local government area
The specific objectives were to:
1. identify the parenting styles used by parents of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
2. examine the influence of authoritative parenting style on moral behaviour of adolescents in Senior Secondary Schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
3. examine the influence of neglectful parenting style on academic performance of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
4. assess the influence of authoritarian parenting style on moral behaviour of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
This study seeks to provide answers to the following research questions
1. What is the influence of Parenting Style used by parents of adolescents in Secondary Schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria?
2. What is the influence of authoritative parenting style on moral behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria?
3. What is the influence of neglectful parenting style on moral behaviour of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria?
4. What is the influence of authoritarian parenting style on moral behaviour of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
The following null hypotheses were formulated to be tested at 0.05 level of significance:
H01: There is no significant relationship between the authoritative parenting style and moral behaviour of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
H02: .There is no significant relationship between neglectful parenting style and smoral behaviour of adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria
H03: There is no significant relationship between authoritarian parenting style and moral behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
1.6 Significance of the Study
The result of the study will be significant to adolescent‟s students in Senior Secondary Schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state because the outcome of the study will help them to improve their social behaviour and consequently help adjust their attitudes before they seat for their final senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE). It will also be significant to parents who have the responsibility of bringing up their adolescents. it will be significant to teachers who are responsible for imparting knowledge to the adolescents to improve on their method of teaching..It will be significant to interested readers who may stumble on this materials to further adolescents students elsewhere or the need to adequately plan and prepare for their final examinations as far as academic performance is concerned. It will be significant to the society to identify what is causing backwardness in the academic performance of adolescents. Finally, it offers a reference for further research that might investigate the same variables.
Basic Assumptions of the Study
This study was based on the assumptions that:
i. All other factors, such as peer group influence and societal influence have the same effects on the social behaviour and academic performance of the subject under study.
ii. Parenting styles practice in different ways may likely have positive or negative effect on adolescents moral behaviour and academic performance
iii. Combination of parenting style may have positive effect on moral behaviour and academic performance of adolescent.
iv. Adolescents cannot perform well academically when there are no good parenting styles.
1.8 Delimitation of the Study
The study was delimited to five sekected secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria, who are directly involved in the study and benefit more..
The study is also delimited to parents of the adolescents who have the responsibility of bringing up the adolescents in senior secondary schools in Ilejemeje local government area of Ekiti state, Nigeria.
0 Comments