Parental Styles, Self-Concept and Depressive Symptoms among Nigerian Adolescents

Abstract

Parental styles and negative self-concept are risk factors for depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. 305 secondary school students ( x =15.47; SD = 1.44) in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria selected using multistage sampling technique responded to Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), Children Depression Inventory (CDI), and Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale (MSCS). Findings reveals 2% prevalence of severe level of depressive symptoms as well as a significant negative relationship between depressive symptoms and father (r = -0.257; p < 0.05) and mother (r = -0.191; p < 0.05) authoritative parental styles. Also, children of single parents reported significantly higher depressive symptoms than those whose parents were living together (Mean difference = 3.06). The study identified significant negative relationships between self-regard dimension of self-concept (r = -.31, p <.01); social confidence (r = -.18, p <.01); school ability (r = -.22, p <.01); physical appearance (r = -.24, p <.01); physical abilities (r = -.17, p <.01) and depression among the students. This implies that the lower the global and specific dimensions of self-concept, the higher the depressive symptoms reported by the students. The study concludes that authoritative parental styles and negative self-concept influence the manifestations of depressive symptoms among secondary school students.