Parenting styles, peer pressure and delinquency among adolescents

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between parenting styles, peer pressure and delinquency among adolescents. The study examined the relationship between parenting styles and peer pressure among adolescents, it examined the relationship between parenting styles and delinquency among adolescents and examined the relationship between peer pressure and delinquency among adolescents. A correlational study design that is quantitative and descriptive in nature was used. The study involved 100 adolescents both male and female, aged between 13-20 years from Makerere High School determined using the Krejcie and Morgan (1974) sample size formula.Data was edited, coded and then entered into the computer. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyze data. Results confirmed that there was a significant positive relationship between parenting styles and peer pressure (p=0.000<0.01 at r= .517**), there is a significant positive relationship between parenting styles and delinquency (p=0.000<0.01 at r= .544**) and there is a significant positive relationship between peer pressure and delinquency (since p=0.000<0.01 at r= .631**). It was therefore recommended that Children from families where delinquency exists should be provided with counseling so as to equip them with skills such as stress management skills. This will help them to positively cope in stressful situations and thus may help to reduce delinquency.