Parenting styles and social characteristics of adolescent learners in selected secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya
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Date
2012-11
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Publisher
Kampala International University, College of Education, Open & Distance Learning
Abstract
Socialization pressures begin in earnest during, the second year of life when children first display an ability comply with parental directives. Parents place greater emphasis on socialization toward the end of the infancy period, they vary considerably in how they go about the task. This variation in parental behavior tends to give rise to differences in children’s behaviors. This study determined the correlation between parenting styles and social characteristics of adolescent learners in selected secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality. The study therefore adopted the following research objectives, to; determine the profile of the adolescent learner in selected secondary schools in terms of age, gender, rank in the family and economic status of the parents, determine the parenting styles experienced by adolescents learners, determine the level of social characteristics of adolescents learners and to establish if there is a significant relationship between parenting styles and level of characteristics of the adolescent learner. The study was based on Dianne Baurmind’s theory of parenting styles which states that parents fall into one of three categories: authoritarian (telling their children exactly what to do), indulgent (allowing their children to do whatever they wish), or authoritative (providing rules and guidance without being overbearing). The beneficiaries of the findings of this study were the adolescent learners, teachers and parents. The study employed the ex-post facto and descriptive correlation design and its target population included a total of 780 respondents from the selected secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality. A total of 264 adolescent learners were sampled to anticipate in the study. Purposive sampling was employed to select the respondent’s rom the identified schools and the questionnaires were used as the main data collection instruments. The frequency tables and percentages distribution was used to determine the profile of the respondents under study. The mean was used to determine the parenting styles and the level of social characteristics. Regression analysis was also used to determine the correlation coefficient. The research findings indicated that there was a strong relationship between the behavior patterns exhibited by the youth and the parental characteristics. On this basis the research therefore was able to conclude that parental behaviors is key to molding the youth. The research made recommendations if the parental styles that parents need to change to positively influence the social behaviors of the youth.
Description
A Thesis Presented to the College of Higher Degrees and Research Kampala International University Kampala, Uganda in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree Master of Arts Education in Special Needs Education
Keywords
Parenting styles, Social characteristics, Adolescent learners, Secondary schools, Eldoret Municipality, Kenya