The Impact of Parenting Styles on Children Developmental Outcome: The Role of Academic Self-Concept as a Mediator

Although the importance of parenting styles directly influencing child development is well established, fewer studied have examined whether parenting styles also affect children’s behavioural problems indirectly, mediated through children’s academic self-concept (ASC). We examined direct and shared effects of parenting styles on behavioural AQ4 problems of 199 Kurdish primary school children with a mean age of 11 years 7 months (range 11; 5 months to 12; 3 months). Questionnaires measured parenting styles (child version of Alabama Parenting Questionnaire), assessed children’s ASC (Myself-As-Learner Scale) and identified children’s behavioural problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire). PROCESS analysis was used to perform the mediation analysis. The results revealed that positive and negative parenting composites are indirectly related to children’s internalising behaviour problems. In addition, ASC partially mediated the relationship between the negative parenting composite and prosocial behaviour. However, the mediation analysis did not show the expected indirect effect of parenting styles on externalising problems as being mediated via ASC. Hence, we argue that the ASC serves as a significant mediator in the relationship between parenting styles with prosocial behaviour and internalising problems

Effects of parental intervention on behavioural and psychological outcomes for Kurdish parents and their children

Background: Parenting interventions are rarely offered in developing countries and there is an urgent need to include low-income countries. Aims: To examine the effectiveness of Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) among Kurdish parents and their children. Methods: This was a randomized control pilot trial using pre- and post-test scores of 17 mothers (mean age 35.25 years, standard deviation 4.3 years; range: 29.58–45.3 years) who agreed to participate in the intervention. We utilized the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire (APQ) to assess parenting style; Parental Stress Scale (PSS) to investigate parental stress; and Step Parenting Assessment Technique (SPAT) to identify whether participants in the treatment group had learned the material of the intervention. Results: There were significant differences between the groups on 3 subscales of the APQ: mother involvement subscale, F(1.13) = 25.81, P < 0.001, η2p = 0.67; inconsistent discipline subscale, F(1.13) = 25.46, P < 0.001, η2p = 0.66; and corporal punishment subscale F(1.13) = 17.3, P < 0.005, η2p = 0.57. A significant difference between groups was also found on the PSS, F(1.13) = 19.63, P < 0.001, η2p = 0.60. The changes were sustained over a 3-month period. No significant differences were found in academic self-concept and behavioural problems between children whose mothers attended STEP and others whose mothers did not attend. Conclusions: The STEP programme appears to promote parenting style and reduce the level of parental stress in Kurdish mothers. Trial Registration: IRCT2016032527125N