Parenting Styles and Adolescents Delinquency in Selected Secondary Schools of Rwamagana District, Rwanda

ABSTRACT 

The study was carried out to correlate parenting styles and adolescents delinquency in selected secondary schools of Rwamagana District, Rwanda. Specifically, the study wanted (1)To determine the profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender and level/year of studies, (2)To ascertain the extent of parenting styles, (3)To investigate the level of adolescents delinquency, (4)To compare the level of adolescents delinquency between male and female students, and (5) To establish the significant relationship between the extent of parenting styles and the level of students adolescents delinquency. Descriptive correlation design were used. By using the standardized questionnaire, data was collected from the sample of 144 respondents: 72 males and 72 females, and were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, means, t-test and Pearson’ Linear correlation coefficient. The findings of the study showed that 66% of respondents were age 16-18, 27% were aged 14-15, and 7°k were aged 12-13. The extent of parenting styles was Good (average mean=2.4); Authoritative parenting was Good (mean=2.96), while Permissive, Authoritarian and Neglectful parenting were Fair (mean=2.33, 2.21 and 2.1 respectively). The Level of Adolescents Delinquency was Fair (mean= 1.83). The difference in the Level of Adolescents Delinquency between male and female students was not significant (mean=1.86 and 1.81 respectively for male and female; t-value=1.577; Sig=O.123). The relationship between Extent of Parenting Styles and Level of Adolescents Delinquency was not significant (r-value =0.28; sig =0.001; R2=0.095; F-value= 14.85). The study concluded that (1)the age, gender and level of studies influence the adolescents delinquency, (2) authoritative Parenting is the most applied highly, while Permissive Parenting becomes the second, Authoritarian Parenting the next, and the last becomes Neglectful Parenting, (3)the level of adolescents delinquency is low, (4)there is a week difference in the level of adolescents delinquency between male and female students, and (5)there is a very week association between the Level of Adolescents Delinquency and the Extent of Parenting Styles. The study recommended that there could be (1)to improve understanding of the impact of an adolescent profile on his/her behaviour, (2)to increase knowledge on parenting styles and apply them appropriately in educating children, (3) to develop understanding on the concept of adolescents delinquency and stabilize the delinquents behaviors, (4)to advance knowledge on differentiating delinquent characters according to sex and improve policies to reduce the rhythm of delinquency to girls, and (5)to make further researches on the other factors of adolescent delinquency.