Maternal Parenting Style and Problem Behavior of Children

Abstract

In the family, parenting style directly impacts children’s behavior and behavioural problems. There is ample evidence to support the correlation between parenting style and children’s behavioral problems. However, parenting style and children’s behavioral problems have received little attention and research interest in India. Thus, the major purpose of this was study is to investigate the relationship between maternal parenting style and children’s behavioral problems. Parenting styles (Authoritative, Permissive, and Authoritarian) were assessed by Parent Authority Questioner (PAQ) and children’s behavioral problems (internalizing and externalizing symptoms) were assessed with the Children’s Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Respondents comprised 120 mothers of children in school (60 girls and 60 boys) .The results of the present study indicate that there is a no significant correlation between Authoritative and internalizing (r= -0.008, p<.005) externalizing (r= - 0.043 , p<.005), Permissive and internalizing (r=-0.07 , p<005), externalizing (r= -.0.045 , p<.005), Authoritarian and internalizing (r= .0.05 , p<.005), externalizing (r= 0.012. , p<.005). Overall findings suggest that behavioural problems differ among boys and girls only in case of permissive parenting style of mothers and the parenting styles have non-significant effect on internalizing and externalizing symptoms in children aged 6-14 years.