| dc.description.abstract | Parenting plays a central role in a child’s growth and development, as early learning and
social-emotional competencies often depend on the quality of parent–child relationships.
Parents strongly influence children’s verbal problem-solving skills, emotion regulation,
stress tolerance, and self-esteem. This study sought to examine the effects of selected
parenting styles on the social-emotional development of pre-primary learners in Lurambi
Sub- County, Kakamega County, Kenya. The objectives were to determine the effect of
authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parenting styles on children’s social-emotional
development. The study was guided by Baumrind’s (1991) theory of parenting styles, which
posits that parenting approaches significantly shape children’s behavior, personality, and
socio-emotional balance at the early learning stage. A convergent parallel mixed-methods
research design was employed, allowing for simultaneous collection and separate analysis
of both qualitative and quantitative data. The target population comprised 6,848 pre-primary
learners, 264 ECD teachers, and 6,526 parents. Using simple random sampling, 19 pre
schools, 400 learners, and 26 teachers were selected, while 20 parents were purposively
sampled. Data were collected through teachers’ questionnaires, learner interviews, and
parent focus group discussions. Content validity was ensured through expert review, while
reliability was tested using the test-retest method. Pilot study was conducted in two pre
schools in Malava Sub-County of Kakamega County. Data analysis was conducted using
descriptive statistics (means and percentages) and inferential techniques, including linear
regression and ANOVA in SPSS, to test relationships between parenting styles and social
emotional outcomes. The results revealed that authoritative parenting style significantly
predicted social-emotional development (R² = .206, F = 4.661, B = .541, p < 0.045),
permissive parenting style also showed a significant effect (R² = .227, F = 5.290, B = .284,
p = 0.034), while uninvolved parenting style likewise had a predictive effect (R² = .249, F =
5.975, B = .499, p = 0.025). The study concluded that children whose parents engaged them
actively in conversations, provided tokens before tasks, and made reasonable demands
demonstrated stronger social-emotional competencies. The study recommends that parents
adopt clear, age-appropriate boundaries while maintaining warm and supportive
relationships, with open two-way communication to build trust and confidence. It further
emphasizes that the authoritative parenting style is the most effective in nurturing children’s
social adjustment, responsibility, and positive peer interactions. Finally, parents should be
empowered through seminars and workshops to strengthen their parenting skills, particularly
in balancing warmth, guidance, and discipline for optimal child development. | en_US |
