Parenting Styles as Predictor of Anxiety levels among Youth

Abstract

Anxiety is an emotion that, in some ways, predates the evolution of man. Its widespread existence in humans, as well as its role in a variety of anxiety disorders, makes it an essential clinical focus. The present study aims at examining the role of maternal parenting styles on the prediction of anxiety levels among youth. Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Parental Authority Questionnaire (Buri, 1991) were used to collect data from the participants. The youth in the sample (N=60) ranged in age from 15 to 24 years old. ANOVA was applied to test the hypotheses. The findings revealed that perceived parenting styles is a measuring factor that can predict anxiety among youth. Youth with a reported authoritative parenting style had low anxiety levels, whereas those with a perceived authoritarian parenting style had high anxiety levels. The results have been discussed in the light of operational definition of the variables. Suggestions for future research are offered.