CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1.    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Parenting or child rearing practice is a mental term that describes traditional parenting techniques that will affect the mental well-being of students particularly students and adults. The most consistent indicator of adolescent mental well-being is the nature of the relationship between students and their parents and others (Resnick, Bearman, Blum, Bauman, Harris, Jones, & Ireland, 2014). Parents are critical factors in students' lives; on the other hand, adolescent parenting patterns involving parents also have an effect on the well-being of students and have an impact on society at large. Parenting includes nurturing, educating, guiding, managing and disciplining children in preparation for their role in society in general and in personal life in particular. A child is born in a family environment, and the family, and whatever the adolescent's home represents, is essential to the growth of the adolescent's mental personality. Face-to-face contact within the family setting, particularly between parents and students, forms the adolescent's character and worldview and also influences social competence. According to Salamone (2008), adolescent-parental practice in Africa is a mode of education, consisting of the development of adolescent physical skills, the development of character, respect for the elderly, the development of intellectual skills and vocational training. It includes the creation of a sense of identity, active involvement in family and community affairs, and an attempt to recognize, respect and encourage the cultural heritage of the community as a whole. It also involves several forms of physical training done by emulating adults performing acts such as wrestling, boxing, climbing trees, music and dancing. Parental style in Nigeria is aimed at the growth of character, requiring adolescents to be sociable, truthful, brave, modest and respectful. Baumrind (2008) classified parental adolescent styles into three types: authoritarian, permissive and authoritative. Authoritarian parents are characterized as strict, punishing and requiring unquestionable obedience from their children. They have very strict expectations, and they prohibit expressions of disagreement. Permissive parents are warm but expect nothing from their house, so they send their children the law or contradictory instructions. Authoritative parents are firm and set boundaries for their students. When students grow older, authoritative parents attempt to reason with and explain stuff to them. Negligent parenting often destroys adolescent self-confidence, deprives adolescents of emotional/mental health (Gómez-Ortiz, Del Rey, Romera, & Ortega-Ruiz, 2015). Bakunin (2007) proposed parenting styles aimed at creating a well-rounded individual.

The effect of the family on adolescents and their positions in the physical, social and mental well-being of adolescents is very significant and important. Interactions between adolescents and parents and how parents interact with children are considered to be essential and central to promoting healthy behavior among adolescents. To this end, the aim of this study is to identify trends of mental well-being among Nigerian students and how their broken relationships affect them, and to discover the predictive effect of perceived adolescent parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian and permissive) on the mental well-being of Nigerian students.

1.2.    STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

Parenting style overtime has been shown to have unprecedented effects on children, and more so these effects have differing effects on the gender of children. Bad parenting has been described as a major concern for the psychosocial and behavioral wellbeing of students. Many parents also believe that the best way to groom their children particularly teenagers, is by being authoritarian, hierarchical and autocratic.

In the light of the above, the study aims to recognize the major mental issues faced by female students in the sense of a broken relationship.  

1.3.    AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objective of the study is to explore the influence of parenting styles as a factor affecting the mental health of female students in failed relationships. Other goals of the analysis are as follows;

1. To examine the effect of parenting style on the mental health of female students.

2. To determine the relationship between the parenting style, mental wellbeing and the failed relationship of female students in Nigeria.

3. To determine the need for successful parenting among female students in Nigeria.

4. To evaluate the level of mental wellbeing among female students in Nigeria.

5. To recommend ways to strengthen the parenting and mental health of students in Nigeria.

1.4.    RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  How does parenting style influence mental health of female students?

2.  What is the relationship between parenting style, mental health and failed relationships of female students in Nigeria?

3.  Is there a need for effective parenting style among female students in Nigeria?

4.  What are the levels of mental health among female students in Nigeria?

5.  What are the ways of improving parenting styles and mental health of students in Nigeria?

1.5.    RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

Hypothesis 1      

H0: There is no significant influence of parenting styles on mental health of female students.

H1: There is a significant influence of parenting styles on mental health of female students.

Hypothesis 2

H0: There is no significant relationship between parenting style, mental health and failed relationships among female students.

H1: There is a significant relationship between parenting style, mental health and failed relationships among female students.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The research study is important for both parents and other stakeholders as it unravels the relationship between parenting styles, mental health and failed relationships between female students. The study will also be of enormous importance to students, researchers and scholars who plan to carry out further studies on the subject.

1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the assessment of parenting style as a factor influencing the mental health of female students in failed relationships among female students in Nigeria.

LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Adolescence – A transition era from childhood to adulthood in which obligations and privileges differ concurrently. Besides being a phase of transformation, it is also a phase of expansion and is thus referred to in three phases. This thesis followed the phases of Melgosa[2012] and used them in the study. Early adolescence: 11-15 years Middle adolescence: 16-18 years Late adolescence: 18-22 years.

Parenting styles-This is an independent variable in the analysis that refers to a psychological framework that reflects the expectations and methods that parents use in their child rearing and in the provision of basic needs. It refers to the child-rearing conduct of parents, guardians or caregivers, which involves a degree of control over the welfare of the child.