Relationship between Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem among Adolescents in Public Secondary Schools in Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya

Parenting styles are crucial for the development of adolescents as they contribute in building critical foundations for various aspects of adolescent’s achievement in life. This study examined the relationship between parenting styles and self-esteem among adolescents in public secondary schools in Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya. The objective of this study was: To find out the types of parenting styles among adolescents in public secondary schools in Makadara Sub-County, Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was guided by John Bowlby attachment theory. The study adopted the correlational research design. The target population was 6351 adolescents, and sample size was 398 participants. The study applied multi-stage sampling technique. The Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) were the data collection instruments. Data was analyzed using the SPSS version 25. Inferential statistics including Pearson correlational coefficient analysis, Chi-Square test, and descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used. Findings indicated that 54.5% (n= 176) of the participants were under authoritarian parenting style, 23.3% (n = 114) were under the authoritative parenting style, while 22.2% (n = 103) were under permissive parenting style. The study established that the authoritarian parenting style was the most prevalent among adolescents in public secondary school in Makadara Sub-County Nairobi, Keny). The study recommended that the school administration should encourage the formation of parenting support groups that allow for the exchange of experiences and strategies. These groups could serve as platforms for reinforcing effective parenting styles and fostering positive family dynamics. The parenting workshops facilitators may highlight the potential downsides of excessive strictness in authoritarian parenting style and leniency in permissive parenting style.