The Relationship Between Parenting Styles and Coping Strategies Among Young Adults

Abstract

The present study aimed to explore the relationship between parenting styles (authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative) and coping strategies (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant coping) among young adults. A convenience sample of 120 participants, consisting of both male and female students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies, was used. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation. The results indicated a significant positive relationship between parenting styles and coping strategies among young adults. Specifically, there was a notable positive relationship between authoritative parenting and problem-solving coping strategies. In contrast, authoritarian parenting was positively associated with avoidant coping strategies. Additionally, the study revealed interesting patterns related to permissive parenting. When fathers were perceived as more permissive, there was a significant positive association with emotion-focused coping strategies. These findings contradict the original hypothesis, which expected a negative relationship between permissive parenting and coping strategies. Descriptive statistics showed that participants perceived a relatively high level of authoritative parenting from both parents. Among the coping strategies, problem-focused coping had the highest mean score, indicating that participants predominantly engaged in active efforts to manage or resolve stressors.