The relationship between parenting styles and academic performances of senior high school students in the Asunafo North Municipality, Ahafo Region

Abstract

Parents adopt certain styles of parenting based on the dimensions of disciplinary strategies, warmth and nurturance, communication styles and expectations of maturity and control. All these styles have an impact on development of children. This study sought to examine the effects of these parenting styles on the academic performance of students. The design was a cross-sectional survey conducted among students in two Senior High Schools in the Asunafo North Municipality in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. Using multi-stage simple random technique, 322 students were sampled for the study and questionnaires were administered to them. Pearson Chi square and Compared Means tests were used in this study. The results showed a significant relationship between parenting styles and academic performances of students, x 2 (n = 322) = 54.972, df = 6, p = 0.000 (P<0.05). Compared means tests, also, revealed significant differences in academic performances of students as a result of parenting styles and again found authoritative parenting style to be related to high academic performances among students. However, eta or the magnitude of the effect of parenting styles accounting for variations in academic performances of students was weak or small, though positive (0.39, >.20<.40). Despite methodological limitations, the findings of the study provided support to the assertion that parenting styles related to academic performances of students. It was, therefore, proposed tha; adopting authoritative parenting style in single-parenting and intact parenting homes, and consistently enforcing the dimensions of parenting would lead to positive developmental outcomes and high academic performance among students. The study recommended policies to be enacted to create awareness among parents of the impact of their style of parenting and dimensions on their children's academic performance.