Parenting Styles and Social Characteristics of Adolescent Learners in Selected Secondary Schools in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya

ABSTRACT Socialization pressures begin in earnest during, the second year of life when children first display an ability comply with parental directives. Parents place greater emphasis on socialization toward the end of the infancy period, they vary considerably in how they go about the task. This variation in parental behavior tends to give rise to differences in children~s behaviors. This study determined the correlation between parenting styles and social characteristics of adolescent learners in selected secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality. The study therefore adopted the following research objectives, to; determine the profile of the adolescent learner in selected secondary schools in terms of age, gender, rank in the family and economic status of the parents, determine the parenting styles experienced by adolescents learners, determine the level of social characteristics of adolescents learners and to establish if there is a significant relationship between parenting styles and level of characteristics of the adolescent learner. The study was based on Dianne Baurmind’s theory of parenting styles which states that parents fall into one of three categories: authoritarian (telling their children exactly what to do), indulgent (allowing their children to do whatever they wish), or authoritative (providing rules and guidance without being overbearing). The beneficiaries of the findings of this study were the adolescent learners, teachers and parents. The study employed the ex-post facto and descriptive correlation design and ts target population included a total of 780 respondents from the selected secondary schools in Eldoret Municipality. A total of 264 adolescent leaner’s were sampled to articipate in the study. Purposive sampling was employed to select the respondents rom the identified schools and the questionnaires were used as the main data :ollection instruments. The frequency tables and percentages distribution was used to determine the profile of the respondents under study. The mean was used to determine :he parenting styles and the level of social characteristics. Regression analysis was also ised to determine the correlation coefficient. The research findings indicated that there ~vas a strong relationship between the behavior patterns exhibited by the youth and the arental characteristics. On this basis the research therefore was able to concluded that )arental behaviors is key to moulding the youth. The research made recommendations )f the parental styles that parents need to change to positively influence the social )ehaviors of the youth.