Parenting styles and psychological needs influences on adolescent life goals and aspirations in a South African setting

Abstract

The present study examined the role of parenting styles and basic psychological needs in the adoption of goals and aspirations of learners, as well as for their psychological wellbeing (positive versus negative affect) in a South African sample of learners. A cross-sectional design was used to conduct this study with a sample of 853 learners at public schools in the Western Cape of South Africa (females = 57%, mean age 16.96 years, SD = 1.12). Data were collected using the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), Psychological Needs Scale, Aspiration Index and the Positive And Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The results suggest that authoritative and authoritarian parenting styles influence the adoption of life goals and psychological wellbeing of adolescents with fathers' negative parenting possibly reducing adolescent wellbeing. Extrinsic life goals was a significant predictor of positive affect, while need frustration was a significant predictor of negative affect. These findings suggest parenting styles and basic psychological needs influence life aspirations and psychological wellbeing of learners in a developing country context.

Family structure and functioning: Influences on adolescents psychological needs, goals and aspirations in a South African setting

“…This finding was similar to that of Roman et al (2015). It might be that secure parental attachment has health promotion aspects regardless of family structure (Laghi, D'Alessio, Pallini & Baiocco, 2009).…”

“…Furthermore, being in a one-parent family with moderate to high general family functioning will predict aspiring to intrinsic life goals and aspirations, while in two-parent families, aspiring to extrinsic life goals is predicted by need satisfaction. This finding of aspiring towards goals and aspirations that were more intrinsic in both one-and two-parent families is contrary to findings of previous studies conducted in South Africa where the most prevalent goals and aspirations were extrinsic (Davids & Roman, 2013;Roman et al, 2015). The present findings may be explained by the fact that South African adolescents may aspire to life goals which are for personal growth rather than life goals such as wealth and fame (McLachlan & Haggar, 2011;Davids & Roman, 2013).…”

Are parenting practices associated with the same child outcomes in sub-Saharan African countries as in high-income countries? A review and synthesis

“…There were six studies on associations between parenting and child adaptive functioning and development 63–68. All studies were of poor-medium quality except for the higher quality longitudinal study of Tomlinson et al 66…”

Parenting as Character Education Model

“…Writer Found character as fundamental values of personal someone who built, formed either because the impact of the descent and environmental influences, who be a characterizes from others, and embodied in attitude and his behavior in his life. Character is ways of thinking and behaving which is typical of individuals to live and collaborate, both in small family groups, the community, states and nations [1].…”