On Parenting: An Examination of Older Adolescents’ Perceptions of Parenting Styles and Success in College

Results• ANCOVA (controlling for ethnicity, religion, immigration status, and

SES) results indicated a significant group difference in the effects of parenting behaviors on college adjustment.

• Students who had authoritative parents reported better college• adjustment when compared to students with authoritarian or

permissive parents. • Results also indicated that for both mothers and fathers, students

who have high parental perceptions also experience better adjustment in college.

• As expected, authoritative parenting behaviors and practices are optimal in preparing children for the transition to college

Discussion

The present study has great practical value to both educators and parents alike when it comes to preparing students as they transition and adjust to college life.

It is important to note that the parenting style adolescents experience growing up can influence the emotional adjustment that accompanies their transition to independence, and specifically as they make their adjustment in college. In particular, parenting behaviors that include high expectations and standards while also being supportive and open to communication have again proven to be most effective in the differential impacts that are experienced as adolescents make difficult transitions in life.

If we know that certain parenting behaviors can lead to better adjustment in young adulthood, specifically as they relate to academic achievement, then parents can be better prepared and assist their child early on.

Lena Brown, Maegan Ingram, Sara Villanueva, Ph.D.Department of Psychology

School of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Introduction

The impact of parental relationships on the future success of their children has been widely researched in the field of psychology. The parenting behaviors experienced by children during their formative years can have implications on many aspects of their adolescent and adult lives, including their emotional adjustment during major transitional periods. One major transitional period in an adolescent’s life is when they leave home for the first time, which often involves attending college. The current study focuses on older adolescents’ self-reported perceptions of their parenting experiences as they relate to their transition to college life.

Why study Parenting and College Adjustment?• The present investigation sought to examine the influence of

parenting styles on adjustment to college.

• Despite being primarily exploratory in nature, we hypothesize that the results from the current investigation will be consistent with the current literature on the topic regarding authoritative parenting styles positively influencing adjustment to college.

Methods

ParticipantsParticipants included a convenience sample of older adolescents (ranging ages 18- 22), from an undergraduate university population.

MeasuresParticipants completed modified verisons of:

• Parental Authority Questionnaire(Buri, 1991)• Perceptions of Parents Scale (Robbins, 1994)• First Year of College Survey (CIRP/UCLA, 2013).

**These measures have previously demonstrated acceptable reliability with ethnically and economically diverse populations.

Procedures• Instructors were asked to send an online survey to their students

for participation. • The online instrument included a consent form and a brief

explanation of the constructs being studied. • Participants answered questions regarding demographic

information, parenting behaviors, relationship quality with parents, and various indicators of college adjustment.

• They were informed that all information would remain anonymous and confidential throughout the study.

AcknowledgementsSt. Edward’s School of Behavioral & Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Participants