The Role of Parenting Styles in Predicting Children's Mental Health

Introduction: This study aimed to identify which of the three Baumrind parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) most strongly predicts children's mental health.Method: This descriptive-correlational study included ۲۸۶ mothers of female elementary school students (fourth and fifth grades) in Mashhad, Iran. Participants completed the Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-۲۸). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and simultaneous multiple regression.Results: Pearson correlation showed a significant positive relationship between authoritative style and mental health (r = ۰.۱۶, p < ۰.۰۵), and significant negative relationships for authoritarian (r = -۰.۳۴, p < ۰.۰۱) and permissive (r = -۰.۱۳, p < ۰.۰۵) styles. Multiple regression revealed that the three styles collectively explained ۱۲.۸% of the variance (R² = ۰.۱۲, F = ۱۳.۶۵, p < ۰.۰۰۱). Only authoritarian style independently predicted mental health (β = -۰.۳۰, p < ۰.۰۰۱). Authoritative (p = ۰.۱۷۹) and permissive (p = ۰.۱۷۴) styles were not significant after controlling for authoritarian style.Conclusion: In multiple regression analysis, only the authoritarian style independently predicted poorer mental health outcomes in children, highlighting it as the primary target for parent-focused interventions.

کلیدواژه ها:

Authoritative Parenting ، Authoritarian Parenting ، Permissive Parenting ، mental health ، Multiple regression