PARENTING STYLES AND ACADEMIC MOTIVATION IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

Parenting is an important factor in influencing the educational attitudes of adolescents and it has a significant influence on their academic motivation and achievement. The study in this research paper investigates the connection between various parenting styles, which include authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful, and the academic motivation of teens in various social and schooling environments. The mixed-method design is used, which involves the incorporation of both quantitative and qualitative data: the quantitative data gathered by using the standardized academic motivation scales and questionnaires filled by adolescents, as well as the qualitative data gathered by the means of semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers. The results show significant differences in the level of motivation: the adolescents in authoritative families are more intrinsically motivated, self-regulated, and do goal-setting, whilst in authoritarian and negligent families, the adolescents tend to be less motivated and more academically disengaged. Permissive parenting has been found to have both positive and negative effects as it leads to creativity and in some cases less structured academic motivation. The paper also establishes the socio-cultural aspects, peer pressure, as well as parental participation as mediators in these interactions. Notably, the study emphasizes that effective communication, emotional support, and regular expectations of parents are key predictors of academic participation. Also, parenting style was found to be mediated by adolescents as to parental encouragement which in turn mediated parenting style and motivation. Another important point that the study also presents is the possibility of school-family specific partnerships that can improve academic performance. Implications on education policy, parental training interventions, and interventions on schools are discussed, including the strategies to promote academic motivation based on positive use of parenting. This study, through its analysis of the subtle implications of the parenting styles, will help in the understanding of how family situations can support fair and effective schooling performances among the adolescents. The results can be used by teachers, psychologists, and policy-makers to find evidence-based strategies to enhance the learning experiences of adolescents.