Author(s): Kaylee Rushton
Mentor(s): Julie Johnson-Pynn, Katerra Miller, Bryan Koenig
Institution SUU
This study aims to explore the intricate relationship between various parenting styles and college-aged students' self-perception of success, a critical aspect of their overall development. A total of 100 participants, ranging in age from 18 to 28, will be recruited to participate in the study. Each participant will complete two self-report instruments designed to assess both their perceptions of their parents' behaviors and their own assessments of personal success. The two instruments to be used are the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ) short version, which evaluates the perceived parenting style, and the adapted Adult Version of the Perception of Success Questionnaire, which assesses the students' own self-perception of success in academic and personal domains. Both instruments use a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree, 5 = Strongly Agree) to gauge the degree to which participants agree with various statements related to parental behaviors and their own sense of achievement. To analyze the data, a multiple regression analysis will be employed to determine the degree to which different parenting styles predict students' self-assessed success. Preliminary hypotheses suggest that parenting styles—particularly those involving autonomy, warmth, and control—may significantly shape how students perceive their own accomplishments in college. This study is particularly focused on the under-researched intersection of parenting styles and self-perception of success within the context of higher education, offering a nuanced understanding of how early familial influences can affect students' attitudes toward their own potential and achievements. The findings from this study are expected to add valuable insights to the relatively limited body of literature on the role of parenting in shaping students' perceptions of their academic and personal success. In particular, the research will provide much-needed guidance for parents looking to foster supportive environments that promote positive behaviors and self-confidence in their children's academic and life pursuits. This could have broader implications for enhancing parental involvement strategies in ways that bolster student success. Furthermore, these findings could inform counseling practices, university support services, and educational policy by highlighting the importance of the familial context in shaping student outcomes. Additional results from the study will be forthcoming and will provide a clearer picture of the complex dynamics between parenting and student self-perception of success.