Early Adolescents' Attitudes andPerceptions about their Parents in Ghana

Abstract

Attitudes of early adolescents towards their parents as well as their perceptions about their parents' attitude towards them and the parenting styles they use were examined. The survey was carried out using a semi-structured interview guide, on 930 primary six pupils in 25 randomly selected schools from 10 Districts spread out over four regions in Ghana. The sample consisted of 451 boys and 479 girls with a mean age of 12.1 years. Chi-square and percentages were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that majority (84%) of early adolescents have negative attitude towards their fathers but positive attitude towards their mothers. Participants also perceived their fathers as having unfavourable attitude towards them while they generally perceive their mothers as having favourable attitude towards them. Gender differences were, however, reported in these statistics. Majority of the early adolescents also reported that their parents (both fathers (74%) and mothers (60%)) used the authoritarian parenting style. Implications of these findings to counselling are made.


IFE Psychologia Vol.12(2) 2004: 49-68