Examining the parenting self-efficacy and parenting styles of parents with preschool children

The purpose of this study was to examine the parenting self-efficacy and parenting attitudes of parents of preschool children. The study employed a survey method, a type of quantitative research. The study sample consisted of 987 parents of preschool children. Data were collected using the Parental Self-Efficacy Scale, the Parental Attitude Scale, and the researcher-prepared Demographic Information Form. Data analysis included independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson Product-Moment Analysis. The analyses revealed that parents of preschool children had high levels of democratic and overprotective attitudes, while authoritarian and permissive attitudes were moderate. Parental attitudes varied significantly according to their closeness to the child, the mother's age, the mother's education level, duration of marriage, the father's education level, and residence. No significant differences were found in parental attitudes according to the parents' marital status and the father's age. Parents' parenting self-efficacy was found to be high. Parenting self-efficacy varied significantly according to the closeness to the child, the mother's age, the mother's education level, the father's education level, the duration of marriage, and residence. No significant differences were found in parenting self-efficacy according to the parents' marital status and the father's age. Moderately significant positive correlations were found between democratic parenting styles and parenting self-efficacy. Furthermore, weakly significant correlations were found between authoritarian, overprotective, and permissive parenting styles and parenting self-efficacy.