INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

CHAPTERONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

Family is the fundamental and important structure of the society that has an important role in one’s life and in the society. The important of the family as a social structure is something unmistakable. Although affected by society and peers, children are more influenced by the family. The influence of the family on the children and its role in academic achievement is very great and important.

Correct and balanced relationship between parents and their children is one of the factors influencing both their physical and mental health. Interaction between, children and how parents communicate with their children are considered to be the most important and fundamental factors among the various factors that affect children’s development.

According to Ekanem (2004), education of the child begins from the home. He observed the home as the primary agent of socialization of the child. It is believed that the family from which a child is brought up has an influence on his or her development and academic achievement. The family is the natural entity that best protects children and provides condition necessary for their development (Johnson 2007).

The child is entitled to care, security and an upbringing that is respectful of his or her person and individuality. The primary responsibility of the parents is upbringing and developing the children. The parents also have the principal responsibility to ensure the child an adequate standard of living. The social climate or environment in which an individual finds him/herself to a large extent determines his/her behavior, personality and academic achievement (Ekanem, 2004). Consequently, parental guidance and discipline usually influence the behavior and academic achievement of the child.

Bank (2004) found that student’s academic achievement depends on the family he comes from. He observed the family as the fulcrum around which the development of the child revolves. The central figures in the family are the parents while child bearing and child rearing cannot be divorced one from the other, the type of child rearing practiced in a family, has a tremendous impact on the entire life of the child including his or her academic life.

It is noticeable, that the style of parenting adopted in a family can determine the academic achievement and how the child will adjust to the society emotionally. Parenting style goes a long way in determining how the child sees his or herself, perception concerning physical, social and psychological aspiration.

INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

1.2   Statement of the Problem

Over the years, students have been performing poorly in Government in Secondary Schools in Etinan Local Government Area. This poor performance has been attributed to many factors including; learning environment, gender, socio-economic status of parents, and study habit of the learners among others (Udoh, 2004). However, Udoh (2004) fail to relate the poor academic performance of students in Etinan Local Government Area with parenting styles.

Therefore, against this backdrop is this study seeking to investigate if the poor academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area can also be attributed to parenting styles.

1.3 Purpose of the Study

The main purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of parenting styles on the academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area. Specifically, the study was aimed at the following:

(i)     To investigate the influence of Authoritative style of parenting on academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area.

(ii)    To investigate the influence of permissive style of parenting on academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area.

 1.4   Significance of the study

The findings of the study will be significant to parents, teachers and students as follows:

(i)     It will benefit parents in learning how their parenting styles influence their children’s performance in school.

(ii)    Teachers will be made aware of importance of learning the parenting styles that a student goes through in order to avoid poor performance.

(iii)    The study will also benefit other students in the field with the literature to support their argument and hence improved knowledge.

1.5   Research Questions

The following research questions are formulated to guide the study:

(i)     To what extent does Authoritative style of parenting influence academic performance of students in Government?

(ii)    To what extent does Permissive style of parenting influence academic performance of students in Government?

INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

1.6   Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were formulated to guide the study:

(i)     There is no significant relationship between Authoritative style of parenting and good academic performance of students in Government.

(ii)    There is no significant relationship between Permissive style of parenting and poor academic performance of students in Government.

1.7   Limitation of the Study

The limitation experienced in the study was:

(i)     Insufficient Finance: Insufficient finance was one of the limitations to the study.

(ii)    Time Constraint: As the time allowed for the completion of the study was very limited.

(iii)    Searching for materials on subject under investigation also posed a problem.

1.8   Delimitation of the Study

The study was delimited to ascertaining the influence of parenting style on the academic performance of students in Government. It was also delimited to all the senior secondary schools in ml Local Government Area.

1.9 Definition of Terms

(i)     Parenting Style: This is the different ways of upbringing children.

(ii)    Authoritative Parents: They are parents who are responsive and they do not oppress their children directive options.

(iii)    Permissive Parents: They are parents who are nurturing and responsive to the child’s needs and wishes.

(iv)   Academic Performance: This is the test or examination scores, which is used to determine the academic achievement of a student.

(v) Government: It is a science, which studies human behavior as a relationship between ends and scarce means, which have alternative uses.

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

The review of the related literature to this study were presented under the following sub-headings:

• Conceptual Analysis of Parenting Style

• Authoritative Style and Academic Performance of Students

• Permissive Style and Academic Performance of Students

• Summary of Literature Review

2.1 Conceptual Analysis of Parenting Styles

Parenting style is a psychological construct representing standard strategies that parents use in their child rearing, It is the representation of how parents respond and demand from their children (Spera, 2005). Parenting style emphasizes on the response parents provide to their children and the method, which parents used to demand, complains from their children. The method used by parents in their child rearing, to a large extent can determine how the child will adjust to the society emotionally (Bornstain, 2005). Parenting style is a determining and effective factor that plays an important role in children’s development and academic achievement (Jackson, 2006).

Bank (2004) posited that the home is the fulcrum around which the development of the child revolves. He added that poor or good academic performance of a child depends on the type of parenting style adopted by parents. This is in support of Ekanem’s view that social climate or environment in which a child finds his/herself to a large extent determines his/her behavior, personality, and academic achievement.

Parents’ role as an agent of socialization and education is a complex process. Ford and Learner (2005) found that, parenting styles is the key to children’s academic achievement and the self-concept of the children. However, Ekanem (2004) pointed out that, parents should adopt a parenting style that will influence their children’s academic performance positively. The parenting styles go a long way in determining how the child sees his or herself, perception concerning his or her physical and psychological aspiration.

According to Jacobs and Harvey (2005), parenting style is one of the significant contributors to students’ academic achievement. Baumrind (2000) categorized parenting style parenting style based on two dimensions, which are ‘responsiveness’ and ‘demandingness’. According to Baumrind, responsiveness refers to the degree that parents promote self-assertion and individuality by showing care and acceptance to children’s desires. On the other hand, demandingness refers to what the parents expect from their children.

It is generally agreed that parenting style influences self-efficacy, self- esteem, and identity development, which are associated with academic achievement (Baumrind, 2008). In addition, the progress in children’s achievement is influenced by the decision that is made by both parents and their children to cooperate or confront each other.

Furthermore, children’s academic motivation and behavior are directly influenced by family activities and parents’ behavior, which are seen as the external factor. For instance, there is a positive outcome for both parents and children when parents interact in a fun and loving way during children’s homework time (Morawska, 2007).

Conversely, when parents are neglectful, academic disengagement and problem behavior are generated (Brown, 2008). He added that, the foundation for parenting style and academic achievement is formed by the belief systems and attitudes in parents and their children.

2.2 Authoritative Style and Academic Performance

Authoritative parenting is more flexible style of parenting in which parents permit their children considerable freedom, but are careful to provide reasons for the restrictions they impose and will ensure that the children follow laid down procedures. Authoritative parents are responsive to their children’s needs and ideas and will often seek their children’s needs and ideas, and will often their children’s view in family deliberations and decisions (Baumrind, 2005; Weiss and Schwarz, 2006).

Baumrind (2005) avers that, “unlike any other patter, authoritative upbringing consistently generated competence and deterred problem behavior” (pp 91).

Authoritative parenting has been found to be an essential factor in a student’s life. It has been seen as the most effective in enhancing personal and social responsibilities in adolescents, without constraining their newly formed autonomy and individuality (Glasgow, Dornbush, Troyer, Steinber, and Ritter, 2005).

Authoritative parents are assertive, but not intrusive and restrictive. Their disciplinary methods are always supportive, rather than punitive since they want their children to be assertive as well as cooperative.

Moreover, authoritative parents reasonably attempt to direct their children’s activities and use more warm control, positivity during communication, feelings-oriented reasoning as well as induction, and more responsiveness to children’s questions (Bornstain, 2005). According to Steinberg (2005) reveal that authoritative parenting and parental involvement in school activities are positively correlated with students’ school success.

Dornbusch (2005) have found out that children raised by authoritative parents, when compared with children raised by permissive parents have higher level of academic performance in school.

According to Anne et al (2008), authoritative parenting style is correlated with positive psychological and behavioural outcomes. Pang et al, (2005) also found that there is strong correlation between academic achievement and authoritative parenting.

Interestingly, children with authoritative parents reported higher grades in school performance than children with permissive parents, and demonstrated stronger school orientation, school engagement, and bounding with teachers than children with permissive parents (Steinberg et al, 2007).

Wilson, (2005) suggests that authoritative parents usually monitor and impact clear standards for their children’s conduct.

Since most of this studies were conducted in developed countries, and Dornbusch et al (2007) have found that parenting styles vary across different cultures. For example, authoritative parenting style was positively related to school grades and students’ performance was higher in European American students, but authoritative parenting style resulted in lower academic grades and, was not related to the academic performance of Asian American students.

And Blair and Qian (2002) found that authoritative parenting style was positively associated with school performance of Chinese students.

It is because of this mixed implication of authoritative parenting style on academic performance of students from different cultures that this study sought to find out whether authoritative parenting style has a positive or negative influence on the academic performance of students in Government in mi Local Government Area.

2.3 Permissive Style and Academic Performance

Permissive parenting style is a type of parenting style characterized by low demands with high responsiveness. Permissive parents tend to be very loving, yet provide few guidelines and rules.

These parents do not expect mature behavior from their children and often seem more like a friend than a parental figure. According to Baumrind (2005), Permissive parents are more responsive than they are demanding. Permissive parents are generally nurturing and communicative with their children, often taking on the status of a friend more than that of a parent (Dodge, 2003). Parents, who adopted Permissive style of parenting, highly accept their children and make some demands for the children’s behavior.

The parents allow their children fundamental self-regulation. Children of permissive parents would be expected to have the greater risk for emotional and behavioral problems (Dornbusch 2005). Permissive parents as explained by Barber (2001) believe that they are responsible for making sure that their children are happy.

Children raised in permissive environments have low degree of self- reliance and social competence as compared to those raised in authoritative environment (Steinberg and Dornbusch, 2006). The risk of developing anti-social behaviours is often attributable to permissive environment (Darling, 2000).

Consequently, Patterson (2005) suggests that permissive parenting style is associated with low academic performance and increased tendency to associate with anti-social peers.

Reporting on their research findings, Vandell and Posner (2003) noted that permissive parenting style results in poor academic outcomes.

This is in support of Baumrind’s (2000) view that, children of the permissive parents have one of the worst outcomes on virtually any measure of social or cognitive competence, academic performance, psychological well being, or problem behaviour.

According to Park (2002), there is a negative association that exists between permissive parenting style and academic achievement. Several studies have documented the negative impact of permissive parenting style on academic achievement.

They indicated that parental permissiveness is associated with lower academic achievements. (Amato and Gilberth, 2000; Slicker, 2004; Steinberg, Dornbusch and Brown, 2007).

Dornbusch (2005) observed that when parents adopt the permissive style of parenting, their children display several predictable outcomes.

Firstly, these children are the most at risk for becoming spoiled children. They tend to grow up thinking that they should always get what they desire. Secondly, these children tend to display impatience with people who do not readily give them everything they want.

Thirdly, these children tend to display relatively poor social skills. They are less likely than other children to be concerned with the welfare of others, or to sacrifice their own needs.

Part of the problem is that they expect their friends’ lives to revolve around making them happy. Jackson, Henrikson, and Foshee (2007) observed that permissive parenting style positively associated with academic success for Asian and African Americans’ academic achievements but was not related to European and Mexican Americans’ academic achievements.

In one study, Dornbusch et al, (2007) found that parenting styles vary across different cultures. Since parenting styles have varying characteristic across cultures, this study sought to find out if permissive parenting style will have a positive or negative influence on the academic performance of students in Economics in mi Local Government Area.

2.4   Summary of Literature Review

Parenting style is the method adopted by parents in their child rearing. Moreover, it is the representation of how parents demand and respond to their children (Spera, 2005).

Parenting styles have been categorized based on two dimensions, which are “responsiveness” and “demandingness” (Baumrind, 2005). The combination of the level of responsiveness and demandingness creates “authoritative and permissive style of parenting”. Authoritative parenting style is much more democratic and the parents are responsive to the children and will listen to questions.

Authoritative parents provide directions and support to their children. They imposed restrictions and are careful to provide reasons for the restrictions they imposed and will ensure that the children follow these laid down procedures. Several studies have shown that authoritative parenting style has a positive influence on the academic performance of students (Steinberg, 2005; Dornbusch, 2005; Anne et al, 2008; Pong et al, 2005).

Permissive parents on the other hand, do not expect mature behaviours from their children, and often seem more like a friend than a parental figure. Several studies have shown that permissive parenting style is negatively related to academic achievement (Amato and Gilberth, 2000; Slicker, 2004; Dornbusch, Steinberg and Brown, 2007).

Dornbusch et al (2007) revealed that, all of the parenting styles have vary characteristic across different cultures. That is why this study sought to investigate whether authoritative style will result in high academic performance and permissive with low academic performance.

 INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODS

This chapter present the methodology used in the study as follows:

• Area of the study

• Research Design

• Population of the Study

• Sample and Sampling Technique

• Research Instrument

• Validation of the Instrument

• Method of Data Collection

• Method of Data Analysis

3.1   Area of the Study

3.2   Research Design

The research design adopted for this study was a survey research design. This is because the study sought opinion, and intents from people.

3.3   Population of the Study

The Population of the study consisted of all senior secondary One to three (SSI-SS3) Students from all the eight (8) public secondary schools in Etinan Local Government Area Who offered Government as a subject. Therefore, the total population for the study was 1542 students,

3.4   Sample and Sampling Technique

Random sampling technique was employed to choose one hundred and fifty (150) students from five (5) selected secondary schools in the Local Government Area.

The selected comprises of thirty (30) students from each of the secondary schools. These 150 students sampled comprise male and female students respectively.

3.5   Research Instruments

The end of term examination scores and a questionnaire were used as instruments for data collection. The questionnaire consisted often (10) items structured on the four (4) point scale response of Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD).

The questionnaire was structured in simple and clear sentences devoid of any ambiguity. It consisted of two parts; first part (Section A) contains personal data of the respondents, while the second part (Section B) contains the items of the questionnaire for response. There are ten (10) items in the questionnaire.

3.6 Validation of the Instrument

The instrument was validated by the project supervisor to ensure that the items in the instrument relates to the problem of the study. Corrections made by the supervisor were integrated accordingly.

 INFLUENCE OF PARENTING STYLES ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT

3.7 Method of Data Collection

The questionnaire copies were distributed to the respondents by the researcher to fill and return at their own pace. All the questionnaires administered were received back. This gave a return rate of 100%. And the end of term examination scores of the students was also used to compare their performances.

3.8 Method of Data Analysis

All the data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) to test the Hypotheses.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

4.1 Data Analysis

Hypothesis 1: There is no significant relationship between Authoritative parenting style and good academic performance of students in Government.

Table I

Variables	N	∑x ∑y	∑x2 ∑y2	∑xy	r-cal	r-crit	Decision
Academic Performance of students	150	336	22730
Authoritative Parenting Style				18875	0.63	0.61	HO1 Reject
	150	279	15827

Significant at P. <0.05, df = 148

The table 1 above shows that the r-calculated value of 0.63 is greater than the r-crit value of 0.165 at 0.05 level of significant at 148 degree of freedom. Based on the result, the null hypothesis is rejected.

Hence, it was observed that there is a significant relationship between authoritative parenting style and good academic performance of students in Government in mi Local Government Area.

Hypothesis 2: There is no significant relationship between permissive parenting style and poor academic performance of students in Government.

Table II

Variables	N	∑x ∑y	∑x2 ∑y2	∑xy	r-cal	r-crit	Decision
Academic Performance of students	150	336	26366				HO1
Permissive  Parenting Style				22538	0.51	0.65	Reject
	150	310	19430

Significant at P. <0.05, df 148

As shown in table 2 above, r-calculated value is 0.51 which is greater the r-crit value of 0.165 at 0.05 level of significant at 148 degree of freedom. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected, indicating that there is a significant relationship between permissive parenting style and poor academic performance of students in Economic in mi Local Government Area.

4.2 Discussion of Findings

The findings of the study as presented in table 1 above shows that there is a significant relationship between authoritative parenting style and good academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area.

This agrees with Dornbusch (2005) who observes that children raised by authoritative parents, have higher level of academic performance in school.

Bank (2004), also noted that poor or good academic performance of a child depends on the style of parenting adopted by parents.

The findings also reveal that there is a significant relationship between permissive parenting style and poor academic performance of students in Government in Etinan Local Government Area. It was revealed that Permissive-parenting style is highly correlating with poor academic performance, while authoritative parenting style is highly correlating with good academic performance.

This agrees with Dornbusch (2005) who posited that children raised by authoritative parents, when compared with those raised by permissive parents, have higher level of academic performance in school.

Steinberg et al, (2006) also found that children with permissive parents reported lower grades in school performance than children with authoritative.

This is in support of Ekanem (2004), who observes that the social climate or environment in which a child finds his/herself to a large extent determines his/her behaviour, personality and academic achievement.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMERY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

5.1 Summary

This study was carried out to ascertain the influence of parenting styles on the academic performance of students in Government. The study was conducted in mi Local Government Area, Akwa born State. To achieve the purpose, two research questions and two research hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of all 1 542 senior secondary one to three (SS1 — SS3) Government students from all the eight (8) public secondary schools in mi Local Government Area. Out of this number, one hundred and fifty (150) students were selected from five (5) selected secondary schools in the Local Government Area for the study using random sampling technique.

A ten (10) item structured questionnaire and the end of term examination were used as instruments for date collection. The data collected were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC).

From the study, the analysis revealed that there is a significant relationship between parenting styles and good or poor academic performance of students in Government, It was also noted that authoritative parenting style is highly correlating with good academic performance while permissive parenting style is highly correlating with poor academic performance.

5.2   Recommendations

Based on the result of the findings, the following recommendations were made:

(i)     Parents should adopt authoritative parenting style in their       homes.

(ii)    Parents should provide some guidelines and rules in the         house.

(iii)    Parents should always direct their children’s activities and       remind them to do their homework.

(iv)   Parents should care about their children’s performance in       school, and the children should be motivated when they       perform well.

(v)    Sometimes, the parents should expect matured behavior        from the children.

5.3 Conclusion

Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn.

(i)     There is a significant relationship between parenting styles     and academic performance of students in Government,       because education of a child begins from the home he/she        comes from.

(ii)    Authoritative parenting style is the best style of parenting       because it is associated with good academic performance.

(iii)    Permissive parenting style is associated with poor academic    performance, because permissive parents do not care about       their children’s performance in school and they do not bother      or remind their children to do their homework.

5.4   Suggestion for Further Studies

Based on the result of the findings, the following recommendations were made for further studies:

(i)     Impact of parenting styles on child development.

(ii)    Parenting styles and self-esteem.

 

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