Impact of Parenting Styles on Parental Mental Health

Abstract

This study utilized a convergent embedded mixed-method design to investigate the relationship between parenting styles and parental mental health among 100 parents (N=100) of children aged six or younger. Using the Parenting Style and Dimensions Questionnaire and NIMHANS Screening Tool for Psychological Problems questionnaire , results revealed a significant positive correlation between authoritative parenting and total distress, and authoritarian parenting and depression. However, parenting styles were poor predictors of mental health outcomes; instead, demographic variables like gender were significant predictors. Significant differences were also noted between mothers and fathers regarding their use of authoritative and authoritarian styles. Qualitative findings from five maternal interviews yielded six themes which emphasised on the distress of the mothers, the reason behind it, its impact on self and others, and the repercussions of the reactions like guilt cycle. , When the quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated, it culminated in an Emotional Regulation Model. This model posits that structural conditions drive emotional dysregulation, which negatively impacts parenting behaviors. This failure to meet parenting ideals triggers a "guilt-repair cycle," ultimately increasing the risk of mental disorders. The study concludes that parental emotional regulation capacity, rather than parenting style alone, is the primary determinant of psychological well-being.