Mental health is a global crisis, with more than 1 billion people affected by mental health conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Young people are particularly affected, with suicide as the third leading cause of death among those aged 15 to 29. A new study of the mental health of Nepali adolescents published in the journal PLOS One found that more than 40% of teens suffer from anxiety and that parenting style is a major factor influencing mental well-being.
A research team led by Rabina Khadka, a public health lecturer at the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences in Kathmandu, surveyed 583 school-going adolescents in Bheemdatt Municipality, Nepal. The aim was to fill in gaps in the existing data, specifically the lack of research on how different parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian and permissive) relate to a range of mental health outcomes.
Participants were asked to fill out a four-part survey with questions covering their mental health status (levels of depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem), perceived parenting style and personal information such as age, gender and family situation. The researchers then measured these factors using recognized psychological scales and analyzed the data to find statistical links between the type of parenting teens received and their mental health.
Parenting matters
The results revealed high rates of mental health issues, with anxiety affecting 42.19% of teens, depression affecting 37.39% and stress affecting 24.69%. The majority, however, reported having high self-esteem (69.3%). Regarding parenting style, the most commonly perceived by the adolescents was authoritative (83.2%), followed by permissive (56.6%) and authoritarian (43.6%).
When linking parenting styles to mental health outcomes, the study found that authoritarian parenting increases the risk of depression and is associated with lower self-esteem. In contrast, authoritative parenting protects against depression, anxiety and stress and is linked to higher self-esteem. Permissive parenting is associated with higher stress levels.
“These findings highlight the crucial role of parental involvement and support in shaping adolescent mental health, underscoring the need for positive parenting practices to improve mental health outcomes for adolescents,” commented the scientists in their paper.
Support and recommendations
The study also found that social support and the school environment were just as important as the home. Victims of bullying have a higher risk of mental health problems, as do teens who do not form close relationships with others.
These results confirm the significant mental health problems that today’s adolescents face. To address these challenges, the researchers recommend more support for parents to encourage authoritative parenting practices and school-based mental health programs, including anti-bullying interventions and student counseling.