Adolescent’s self-esteem and adjustment:
A study of the transition from high school to college
Kristen M Croteau
St. Anselm College
| Introduction |
Methods |
Results |
Discussion |
Tables |
Appendices |
References |
Discussion
Results from this
study using
Pearson Correlation supported the hypothesis that high authoritative
parenting
from both parents would be related to higher self-esteem and higher
adaptation
to college in adolescents.
This study adds
further evidence
of the effects of authoritative parenting style on self-esteem. Gecas and Schwalbe (1986) correlated levels
of perceived parental support, control and participation with
self-esteem. Results showed that
adolescents’
self-perception was strongly and positively correlated to perception of
parents
as measured by the previously named variables.
High levels of control and participation are descriptive of
authoritative parenting. Therefore, the results of Gecas and Schwalbe’s
(1986)
study can be compared to the results of this study.
Components of authoritative parenting
significantly impact the way in which adolescents build self-esteem. Similarly, these two studies prove this
hypothesis, showing significant correlation between authoritative
parenting and
self-esteem in adolescents.
Numerous
previous studies support additional results of this study that high
authoritative parenting is related to higher levels of adjustment to
college. Strage and Brandt (1999)
investigated specifically authoritative parenting style and its’
effects on
students adjustment socially and academically.
Authoritative parenting was defined as allowing high autonomy,
minimal
demands and high levels of support. The study found that the higher the
scores
on authoritative parenting, the higher the levels of adjustment in the
students. Similar to this study, this
correlation shows further the importance of parenting style in relation
to
adjustment to college. One further study
explored a specific area of authoritative parenting, support (Holaham,
Valentiner
& Moo, 1994). Higher levels of
support were significantly correlated to student adaptation to college.
The
environment is continuously shown through past literature and this
study to
effect self-esteem and adjustment to college.
Parenting style plays a crucial role in the environment,
therefore
effecting adolescent’s development.
Continuing this trend set by results from previous studies such
as this,
the study outlined in this paper showed evidence supporting the
important role
parenting style plays in adjustment to college.
Also,
t-test analyses between high and low parenting styles of the father for
self-esteem and adaptation to college yielded nonsignificant results. Past literature supports the lower effects
from fathers than from mothers. For
example, Gecas and Schwalbe (1986) found parents’ levels of support,
control
and participation positively effected children’s self-esteem, but
father’s role
for adolescents was less significant than the mother’s role. This may be due to the smaller role fathers’
play in the everyday lives of adolescents compared to the mother.
There
results provide further support of already conducted research. This study succeeds in showing the importance
of parenting style on adolescent development of self-esteem and
adaptation to
college. The results also exemplify the
importance of social psychology as an important field of research,
pointing out
environmental factors as a key influence on adolescents.
Applying
these results to the population could help parents as well as children
learn
how to interact with on another. This
and other research show evidence supporting
the importance of
authoritative
parenting. This information could be
used to write advisory books and develop therapy and counseling agendas
and
methods. Also, parenting classes and programs for new and troubled
parents
could benefit from the results of this and previous literature.