International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

International Journal of Behavioral Sciences

The Role of Parenting Styles in Predicting Children's Mental Health

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
fateme khosravi 1
Ali Fathi Ashtiani 2
1 M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology, Hakim Toos Higher Education Institute, Mashhad, Iran
2 Behavioral Sciences Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
10.30491/ijbs.2026.580155.2319
Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to identify which of the three Baumrind parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive) most strongly predicts children's mental health.
Method: This descriptive-correlational study included 286 mothers of female elementary school students (fourth and fifth grades) in Mashhad, Iran. Participants completed the Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire and the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-28). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and simultaneous multiple regression.
Results: Pearson correlation showed a significant positive relationship between authoritative style and mental health (r = 0.16, p < 0.05), and significant negative relationships for authoritarian (r = -0.34, p < 0.01) and permissive (r = -0.13, p < 0.05) styles. Multiple regression revealed that the three styles collectively explained 12.8% of the variance (R² = 0.12, F = 13.65, p < 0.001). Only authoritarian style independently predicted mental health (β = -0.30, p < 0.001). Authoritative (p = 0.179) and permissive (p = 0.174) styles were not significant after controlling for authoritarian style.
Conclusion: In multiple regression analysis, only the authoritarian style independently predicted poorer mental health outcomes in children, highlighting it as the primary target for parent-focused interventions.
Keywords
Authoritative Parenting
Authoritarian Parenting
Permissive Parenting
Mental Health
Multiple Regression
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International Journal of Behavioral Sciences
Volume 20, Issue 1
Spring 2026
Pages 57-62