Role of parenting styles in disruptive behaviour and beliefs about conflict of adolescents in the Northern Cape Province

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore the role of parenting styles in disruptive behaviours and beliefs about conflict of adolescents in the Northern Cape Province. The study was anchored on four (4) objectives, (1) to review literature on the variables of interest and identify the research gaps; (2) to collect empirical data on the variables of interest among adolescent learners; (3) to provide guidelines and recommendations pertaining to the influence of parenting styles on disruptive behaviour among in-school adolescents; and (4) to give some recommendations regarding students ' disruptive behaviour in classroom. Data for the study were collected through a questionnaire measuring the variables of interest. A total of three hundred and fifty one adolescents within the age range of 13-20 with a mean of 16.35 years and a standard deviation of 1.39 randomly selected from grades 9 to 12 from schools in the Northern Cape of South Africa, participated in the study. One hundred and fifty (42.7.9%) of the participants were males while 201 (57.3%) were females. The results indicated a significant joint and independent influence of age, gender and parenting styles on disruptive behaviour (anti-social and aggressive behaviour) and beliefs about conflict. Male adolescents reported more anti-social behaviour compared to females. Lastly, female adolescents reported more beliefs about conflict compared to males. In conclusion, the findings imply that some parenting styles have influence on the adolescents' disruptive behaviour and beliefs about conflict. The study concludes that parenting styles, among other factors , contribute to disruptive behaviour and beliefs about conflict in adolescents. There is the need to develop secondary and tertiary programmes, not just primary prevention programmes. School districts need to revise their disruptive behaviour policies explicitly to include all forms of aggression and anti- social behaviour.