Parenting styles and mental health among adolescents in the San José de Payamino parish.

Abstract

Parenting styles play a fundamental role in adolescence and mental health. The objective of the research was to analyze the relationship between parenting styles and the mental health of adolescents in the San José de Payamino parish. The study employs a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design with descriptive and correlational scope.  The sample consisted of 105 adolescents aged 12 to 15. Data collection involved the application of a sociodemographic form and psychometric scales, such as the Parental Socialization Scale in Adolescence (ESPA29) and the Mental Health Continuum Scale (MHC-SF). The results indicate that the predominant parenting style was authoritarian, reported in 65.7% of fathers and 61.0% of mothers. Similarly, for mental health, a moderate level was predominant, observed in 91.4% of adolescents. The findings demonstrated that the sub-variables exhibited a statistically significant correlation. Specifically, the mother´s acceptance/involvement dimension showed a positive correlation with all dimensions of mental health: emotional well-being (r = 0.231, p = 0.018), social well-being (r = 0.200, p = 0.041), and psychological well-being (r = 0.229, p = 0.019). The father’s coercion/ imposition dimension showed a negative correlation with psychological well-being (r = -0.225, p = 0.021). A negative association was identified between the father's coercion/imposition of parental socialization style and adolescent mental health outcomes.