A Cultural Analysis in India to Gain an Understanding of Parenting Styles and the Parent-Adolescent Connection

Abstract

The study focuses on Uttar Pradesh’s adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 and examines how culturally rooted parenting practices affect the relationship between parents and adolescents in urban India. To understand the intricate relationship between traditional values and contemporary influences in Indian family life, the research employs a mixed-methods approach that combines qualitative focus groups and interviews with quantitative surveys. Data were gathered from 200 teenagers attending both public and private schools, with 100 boys and 100 girls. In contrast to authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles, which have a negative correlation, authoritative parenting is substantially linked to greater parent-adolescent connections, according to the quantitative research. Permissive parenting had a slight favorable impact. Significant differences were found across gender and school type: teenagers attending private schools, particularly females, reported feeling a stronger emotional bond with their parents than those attending public schools. The qualitative results provided more insight into how parenting styles and teenage experiences are influenced by cultural norms, communication styles, and hierarchical family roles. The study emphasizes the significance of culturally aware parenting techniques in promoting better relationships and emotional growth in Indian teenagers.