The relationship between self-control and parenting styles with psychological well-being among high school students in Abadeh city.

Field: General Psychology

Thesis for receiving a master's degree (M.A.)

The relationship between self-control and parenting styles with psychological well-being among high school students

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between self-control and parenting styles with psychological well-being among high school students. For this purpose, among the 3286 high school students of Abadeh city in the academic year of 2012-2013, 370 (209 girls and 161 boys) were evaluated in the form of systematic two-stage cluster sampling, selection and samples using the Tanjeni self-control scale, the Bamrind parenting styles questionnaire, and the Riff psychological well-being scale. The obtained data were evaluated using simultaneous multiple regression analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient method. The findings showed that self-control and parenting styles can predict the changes related to students' psychological well-being. So that the higher a person's self-control is, it is expected that the person will be more successful in achieving conditions that lead to psychological well-being. Also, authoritarian parenting style has a negative effect on students' psychological well-being, and authoritarian parenting style has a positive effect on students' psychological well-being, and careless parenting style has no effect on people's psychological well-being. The results of the present study suggest that in order to improve the psychological well-being of people, one can pay attention to the parenting styles of parents and their self-control. Key words: self-control, parenting style, psychological well-being. Introduction In recent years, the approach of positive psychology, with the slogan of paying attention to human talents and abilities, has attracted the attention of researchers in various fields of psychology. This approach considers its ultimate goal to identify structures and methods that provide human well-being and happiness. Therefore, the factors that cause people to adapt as much as possible to the needs and threats of life are the most fundamental structures under research of this approach. Meanwhile, psychological well-being has a special place, especially in the fields of developmental psychology, family psychology, and mental health (Kampel, Seals, Kohan, and Stein, 2006).

Psychological well-being is the basic right and need of all human beings. Currently, the development of any community is judged by the quality of health and well-being of the people of that community, the level of fair distribution of health among different spectrums of social classes, and the level of protection of disadvantaged people against factors that harm the health of that community (Lankarani, 2017). An increase in national wealth by itself does not lead to development, but in this path there is a strong need for health and well-being, although the health situation has improved in the whole world, but there is still injustice between and within countries (Lankarani, 2017).

One of the most important models that conceptualized and operationalized psychological well-being, the multidimensional model of Riff et al. is Rif and his colleagues have presented a model of psychological well-being or positive mental health based on this psychological well-being model of 6 factors: self-acceptance (having a positive attitude towards oneself), positive relationship with others (establishing warm and intimate relationships with others and the ability to empathize), autonomy (a sense of independence and the ability to stand up against social pressures), purposeful life (having a purpose in life and giving it meaning), personal growth (a sense of continuous growth) and mastery of the environment (one's ability) in environmental management) (Reif, 1989; Reif and Keys, 1995).

A group of mental health researchers, inspired by positive psychology, have chosen a different theoretical and research approach to explain and study this concept. They have equated mental health with positive psychological functioning and conceptualized it in the form of the term psychological well-being. This group does not consider the absence of disease to be enough to feel healthy, but they believe that having a feeling of satisfaction with life, sufficient progress, efficient and effective interaction with the world, energy and creating a positive connection, favorable relationship with the community and positive progress are the characteristics of a healthy person and mental well-being (Ryan and Deki [2], 2001). This makes the comprehensive study of individual and social determinants affecting physical health and mental well-being a necessity for the health care system of societies.. This has made the comprehensive study of individual and social determinants affecting physical health and mental well-being a necessity for the health care system of societies. The approach of positive psychology, considering human talents and capabilities (instead of dealing with abnormalities and disorders), considers its ultimate goal to identify the structures and methods that lead to human well-being and happiness. Therefore, the factors that make a person adapt as much as possible to the needs and threats of life are the most fundamental structures under research of this approach. In the meantime, self-control variables and parenting styles have found a special place in the fields of developmental psychology, positive psychology, family psychology and mental health, so that the number of researches related to this structure is increasing every day. Therefore, the aim of the current research is to explain the relationship between self-control and parenting styles with psychological well-being. 1-2- problem statement

One of the axes of evaluating the health of different societies is the mental health of that society. Undoubtedly, psychological well-being plays an important role in ensuring the dynamism and efficiency of any society. Mental well-being is one of the things that people seek in life. Since mental health is considered a vital need to improve the quality of human life, in this regard, the World Health Organization defines health as a state of well-being in which a person knows his abilities and uses them effectively and productively and is useful for his community (World Health Organization WHO[3], 2004). Psychological well-being is a basic need to improve the quality of human life and is vital (World Health Organization WHO, 2004). Psychological well-being is related to internal empowering characteristics or internal sources of strength. Possession of these internal resources increases a person's ability, despite adverse conditions and negative events, for adaptive growth in order to maintain his psychological well-being (Jacklon [4], 1997). This model has been formed and expanded through the integration of different theories of personal development (such as Maslow's self-actualization theory and Rogers' complete person) and adaptive functioning (such as Jahoda's theory of positive mental health). Based on a detailed review of research literature and the coherence of developmental, mental health, and clinical theories, Rif pointed out that these views have similar criteria and are complementary to positive psychological well-being (Rif, 1989). Wissing and Van Eden [6] (1997), have identified a general psychological well-being factor and described it as a combination of special qualities, such as a sense of coherence, life satisfaction, emotional balance and a general attitude towards optimism or a positive orientation towards life. Psychological well-being is a multi-dimensional concept that includes the feeling of happiness and hope in addition to not being sick and disabled (Larsen [7], 1991; quoted by Apdenaker [8] et al., 2008).  The theoretical dimensions of positive psychological well-being in the recent perspective include independence, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relationships with others, purposefulness in life, and self-acceptance. The mentioned model has been extensively investigated and studied all over the world (Reif and Singer[9], 1998; Antoli and Caconi[10], 1998; Kashlo and Castro[11], 2001).

On the other hand, mental well-being is related to individual factors, environment and healthy living conditions in addition to a healthy body. How the environment and various factors affect the structure of human psychological well-being and how they fight environmental conflicts is a topic that is raised in different psychological approaches, and each of them explains human psychological well-being in a special way according to their specific views about the nature of man and his motivation. In the meantime, two factors that have attracted the attention of researchers in explaining the psychological well-being of people are self-control and the type of parenting style of parents. The studies show that self-control has a positive relationship with physical and mental health, and as a source of internal resistance, it reduces the negative effects of stress, prevents the occurrence of physical and mental disorders, and generally leads to an increase in a person's well-being. Psychiatrists consider a person mentally healthy who has a balance between behaviors and self-control in facing social problems (Hardani, 2015).