Self-Assessed Quality of Parent-Child Interaction And Parental Care Of Redeemer’s University Adolescents: A Pilot Study.

Abstract

Parent-child relationship has been consistently associated with children’s development, adjustment, wellbeing and educational attainment. Children psychological adjustment has also been empirically linked with the degree to which children perceive the quality of their parental-care. The quality of parent-child interaction and parental care of Nigerian adolescents were however yet to receive adequate research attention. This study aimed at eliciting adolescents’ self-assessed quality of parent-child interaction and parental care, and their perceived effects on adolescents’ psychological health. Findings from the study may assist in preventing and managing developmental crisis among Nigerian adolescents.185 adolescent students of Redeemer’s University, Nigeria responded to a structured questionnaire. The quality of their parent-child interactions was perceived as adequate by most of the adolescents. However, 27.8% of them felt otherwise. 15.13% of adolescents would blame their parents for any deficit in their social development while 6.49% of them would blame their parents for any deficit in their spiritual development. The quality of parental care was also assessed to be adequate by most of the majority, though few felt otherwise. 34.62% of the adolescents reported that inadequate quality ofparent-child interaction affected their psychological health negatively. Also, 22.12% of them believed that inadequate quality of parental care had negative effects on their psychological health. A significant positive correlation was observed between quality of parent-child interaction and quality of parental care, and negative correlation between age and quality of parental care. No significant correlation was however observed between age and quality of parent-child interaction. Neither perceived quality of parent-child interaction nor quality of parental care was significantly influenced by gender. Findings were discussed in line with the existing literatures and current socio cultural realities of Nigeria. Appropriate recommendations were put forward.

Keywords: Quality of parent-child interaction, Parental care, Adolescents