Parenting Styles and Academic Achievement Among Secondary School Students in Turkey: The Mediating Role of Self-Regulation

Abstract

Parenting styles have long been recognized as important predictors of children's academic outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are not fully understood. This study examines the relationship between parenting styles and academic achievement among Turkish secondary school students, with a focus on the mediating role of self-regulation. A sample of 600 students (ages 14-17) from public high schools in Istanbul completed measures of perceived parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful), self-regulation, and academic achievement (as measured by grade point average). The results indicated that authoritative parenting was positively associated with academic achievement, while authoritarian and neglectful parenting were negatively associated. Self-regulation was found to partially mediate the relationship between authoritative parenting and academic achievement. The study also found that the mediating effect was stronger for older students. The paper concludes that parenting styles influence academic achievement not only directly but also indirectly by shaping students' self-regulatory abilities. It recommends that parenting education programs emphasize the importance of authoritative parenting practices that combine warmth with appropriate monitoring and autonomy support.