Parenting and mental wellbeing of adolescents between 15-17 years

Abstract

Attributes of parenting is known to influence adolescent well being. Study of the influence of parenting on wellbeing of adolescent in local context is useful to have culture sensitive insight and the results would be useful to inform policy and strategic directions. This study was conducted to find out the effect of parenting on adolescent mental wellbeing. A two stage random cluster sample of 149 adolescents was studied using a self administered questionnaire. General wellbeing, educational performances, substance abuse, emotional and behavioral symptoms, depression and suicidality were studied as different dimension of mental wellbeing. Parents level of education, parent deprivation, how adolescents evaluate the relationship between their mother and father, how loved the feel by their parents, and how close they feel towards their parents, and parenting style, measured as authoritative, authoritarian, permissive were found to have varying associations with the different aspects of adolescent mental wellbeing. Further exploration of the study theme, inclusion of parenting skill promotion as an integral parts of adolescent health promotion programme are recommended