Factors associated with motivation and worry to become a leader: Dysfunctional parenting and social problem-solving skills

Motivation and worry to become a leader may be influenced by early life experiences such as parenting. Individuals may observe and learn how to engage in leadership activities and behaviors from their parents in their early life. Social problem-solving skills may have a crucial role in this association, such that higher social problem-solving skills as one of the foremost coping strategies minimize the effect of negative incidents by increasing resilience (Eskin, 2012). The current study aimed firstly to examine the association between dysfunctional parenting and motivation and worry to become a leader that consists of 'Motivation to Lead' (MTL; Chan & Drasgow, 2001) and 'Worries About Leadership' (WAL; Aycan & Shelia, 2019). Also, this study intended to investigate the mediating role of social problem-solving skills in the association between dysfunctional parenting and MTL/WAL. This study is conducted as a correlational study in a cross-sectional design, including a 20-minute survey including demographic questions, social problem-solving inventory, and the scales of perceived parenting, worries about leadership, and motivation to lead. Overall, 320 participants completed the survey, and 170 participants fulfilled the necessary requirements and were evaluated as sample data. Obtained data is analyzed using SPSS. Multiple regression analysis was conducted, and the results showed that dysfunctional parenting is not a direct determinant of motivation and worry to become a leader. However, a significant impact of dysfunctional parenting on motivation and worry to become a leader is found through social problem-solving skills, such that dysfunctional parenting is significantly associated with social problem-solving skills, which are significantly related to motivation and worry to become a leader. Therefore, an indirect effect of dysfunctional parenting and a direct effect of social problem-solving skills have been revealed by this study. Keywords: Dysfunctional parenting, social problem-solving, worries about leadership, motivation to lead