The effect of parents' effective listening skills on behavioral problems in their children

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of parents' effective listening skills on their children's behavioral problems. The study was conducted based on the relational survey model. The study group consisted of a total of 385 participants, 344 of whom were female and 41 of whom were male, with children between the ages of 9-18, who were reached by online survey method. The Revised Behavior Problems Checklist (CBCL), Listening Skills Scale (LSS) and Demographic Information Form were used as data collection tools. Frequency (n) and percentage analysis (%), comparison (independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance), relationship analysis (correlation analysis), regression analysis (simple linear) and reliability analysis (Cronbach's Alpha) analyses were used. The data obtained were evaluated using independent sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, Welch ANOVA, Tukey, Gabriel and Tamhane's T2 multiple comparison tests and Pearson correlation analysis. As a result of the analyses conducted according to demographic variables, it was found that there was no significant difference in behavior problems scale scores and listening skills scale scores according to gender, number of children, place of residence, age of the participants and age of their children. According to the main findings of the study, the subscales of behavior problems show a high correlation with each other, and the listening skills of individuals have an inverse relationship with behavior problems. This analysis supports that as listening skills increase; behavioral problems scores may decrease. This result shows that as listening skills increase, behavioral problems scores decrease, and the regression model is significant. However, the low rate of explainability suggests that the effect of listening skills on behavior problems is limited. These findings suggest that listening skill has a significant effect on behavioral problems, but it is not a strong predictor on its own. Improving communication skills may contribute positively to behavioral and psychological processes of individuals. In further studies, variables such as attachment, emotion regulation, and parental attitudes can be added and the effect on behavioral problems can be examined.