Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 1

Parents’ Characteristics and Parenting Style: Effects on

Students’ Interest in Study

Tolentino, Marvin

Agbanlog Jestoni

Cayabyab, Don Jezzy

Dumaya, Erwin

Samaniego, Jessie Czar

Santiago, Kristian

Tabot, John

Tolentino, Marvin

BA Psychology_3

Central Luzon State University

2009-2010
Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 2

Parent’s characteristic comes in many forms. Parents are

generally thought to be loving to their children, protective,

providers, act as role models and are also thought to be a source

of guidance to their children. Parents are also a rich source of

inspiration to their children, children hold their parents at

high esteem.

High achieving parents are thought to inculcate the same

passion of achieving in their children life’s, whereas those

children from poor parenting backgrounds are known to be less

resilient in life. They strive to achieve less because their

supposed role models turn to be blurred mirror. Furthermore

punitive parents will only function to isolate their children

from them; hence the children will lose hope and the need to

strive to excel in school.

Being a parent is like walking on a tightrope, as a parent

balance love on one side and discipline on the other. Their

success or failure at achieving the balance determines their

parenting style. A good parent is the one, who is responsive to

her child's needs, but at the same time, corrects him when

necessary.
Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 3

Good parenting would be turning of the TV even if your

child’s favourite cartoon is on television to enable her finish

her homework. It is bad parenting when your response would be;

"Do what you want. It is a free world. Do not ask me again." or

"Watch as much TV as you want. Children should enjoy at this

age."

The research conducted by researchers at the university of

Ottawa, johns Hopkins, suggest that its not poverty exclusively

that leads to bad parenting, which in turn leads to poor outcomes

in the children, rather it is mostly the neighborhoods that

predispose children to problems when entering school and of

behavioral and emotional difficulties (Dafna E. k.n.d).

Furthermore this study by Kohen point out that children's

verbal and behavioral outcomes are influenced by poor parental

mental health and parenting behaviors. The study had examined

3,528 preschoolers from a nationally representative sample of

Canadian children. Specifically, the researchers looked at

characteristics such as neighborhood cohesion; they also looked

at family factors such as mothers' mental health and how families

function, and parenting behaviors such as reading and discipline.

And they measured the children's verbal ability and assessed how

their parents rated their children's behavior.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 4

This study associated punitive parenting with a greater

incidence of behavior problems in children. The study showed that

families living in poor neighborhoods also are less likely to

read to their children at home, and children who are not read to

by their parents have lower scores on tests of verbal ability.

Kohen said furthermore that "Children benefit from parents who

are physically and emotionally healthy and who live in safe

neighborhoods where they trust their neighbors.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 5

Review of Related Literature

Foreign Studies on Parental Factors

The study of Ginsburg and Bronstein (1993) examined 3

familial factors-parental surveillance of homework, parental

reactions to grades, and general family style-in relation to

children's motivational orientation and academic performance.

Family, parent, and child measures were obtained in the home from

93 fifth graders and their parents. Teachers provided a measure

of classroom motivational orientation, and grades and achievement

scores were obtained from school records. Higher parental

surveillance of homework, parental reactions to grades that

included negative control, uninvolvement, or extrinsic reward,

and over- and undercontrolling family styles were found to be

related to an extrinsic motivational orientation and to lower

academic performance. On the other hand, parental encouragement

in response to grades children received was associated with an

intrinsic motivational orientation, and autonomy-supporting

family styles were associated with intrinsic motivation and

higher academic performance. In addition, socioeconomic level was

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 6

a significant predictor of motivational orientation and academic

performance.

Local Studies on Parenting Style

Aguila’s (2009) study aimed to understand Miriam college

students through the parenting styles that they experience and

through their own perceptions of what parenting styles their

parents use. Subjects were some freshman students and their

parents who attended a parent-daughter activity. The Michael

Popkin Questionnaire on Parenting Style was used. There was no

single distinct parenting style that parents perceived they were

using and that students experienced. Demographic variables did

not affect the perception of the parents and experience of the

students on the different parenting styles. There was also

congruence in the belief and action components of the different

parenting styles for both

sets of respondents. However, there were differences in how

action statements were able predict some parenting styles for

both sets of respondents too. These differences occurred in the

authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles. Parents

differed among themselves on whom they patterned their parenting

styles after. Nevertheless, they were unanimous in pointing out

the tendency of Filipino parents to make their children dependent

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 7

up to adulthood. Results can help formulate effective student

policies, classroom management strategies, and viable mentoring

practices.

Khaki (2008) classified Filipino parenting style into four.

The first parenting style is that of the authoritarian parent.

These parents are like army commanders. They prefer to issue

commands and orders to their children and fully expect their

children to carry out their orders without questioning them.

Authoritarians do not welcome nor appreciate any feedback from

their children. They live by set and defined rules in a

structured environment.. These children as we now know, are

generally considered to have an unhappy nature about them. Boys

generally exhibit hostile behaviour when dealing with

frustration, whereas girls tend to give up easily when faced with

difficult situations. Both the boys and girls however, tend to

perform better in school due to their disciplined upbringing. The

second parenting style is the indulgent parent. These parents are

generally lenient. They allow a variety of behaviours by their

children that some would describe as immature. Essentially, they

let the children look after themselves and avoid confronting them

at all costs. Indulgent parents may also be described as non-

directive or democratic. Non-directive parents are known to

parent by default, that is, by taking virtually no action in

parenting of their children. Democratic parents, though lenient,

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 8

are more aware and show a committment to engage with their

children. The third parenting style is that of the authoritative

parent. These parents are both demanding and responsive at the

same time. Authoritative parents while expecting their their

children to behave in a certain manner, don't impose their

authority and welcome a certain amount of questioning. They

demonstrate a combination of assertiveness coupled with the

ability to respond to their children's feedback. These children

appear to be more lively and have a happier disposition about

them. Their self-confidence is more developed they seem to be

more sure of their abilities. These children also show better

emotional control and are more adept in their social skills.

Gender stereotypes are also less of an issue with authoritative

parents, as they tend to be more open minded in their outlook

towards their children's behaviour, i.e. boys playing with dolls

and girls playing with tools. Lastly, we look at the parenting

style known as "uninvolved parenting". As the name suggests,

these parents are simply uninvolved. They are neither demanding

nor responsive of their children and they are not interested in

any feedback from them. These parents are the most likely to be

irresponsible and more often neglect their children.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 9

Statement of the problem

1. What are the characteristics and parenting style of Filipino

parents living in Bagong Sicat, Science City of Muñoz?

2. How Filipino parents’ characteristics affect their

children’s interest in study?

3. How parenting style affect the children’s interest in study?

Conceptual Paradigm

Parents’ characteristic

Parenting style Children’s interest in study

Independent variable dependent variable

Conceptual framework

The parents’ characteristics are assumed to have effect on

their children’s interests on study. Moreover, their parenting

styles are presupposed to be associated on their children’s

interest in study.
Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 10

Significance of the study

People often attribute the students’ interest on study to

educational context (e.i. teacher’s characteristics,

instructional style, learning environment, educational

materials, etc) and personal attributes (e.i. , the students’

timidity, indolence and low mental capability). This research

study will focus on different perspective in looking at

students’ interest on studying by giving more emphasis on

their parent’s characteristics and parenting style and how the

latter influence the former. Reader of this study will be

provided knowledge on how Filipino parents up bring their

children. This will also increase their awareness on what are

the parents’ factors that influence their children’s interest

on study. To this end, we will be enlightened that parental

factors do not only influence their children’s personal/social

well-being but also their academic situation and interest on

studying. Further, we will be aware that student’s interest on

school doesn’t a mere product of education and personal

attributes but also by parental style and characteristic.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 11

Hypotheses of the study

1. Parents’ characteristics have effects on their children’s

interest on studying.

2. Parenting style of parent on Bagong Sicat, Science City of

Muñoz has effects on their children’s in studying.

Scope and limitation

The study focuses on parents living on Bagong Sicat, Science

City of Muñoz. Parents’ characteristic and their parenting

style will be examined. Further, the study will also tackle

their children’s current interest on studying. The study is

not limited to a particular level of educational attainment

(i.e. children studying at elementary, secondary or tertiary

education will be included). However, the respondents are all

parents and the findings of the study will only be limited on

parents’ perception of their characteristic and parenting

style and their perception of their children’s interest on

studying without seeking further information directly from

their respective children.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 12

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study will use descriptive design to examine the

respondents’ parenting style and characteristics. The

researchers will also use correlation approach to determine

the association of parents’ characteristics and style to

their children’s academic interest. Qualitative approach

will also be used.

Population and Locale

The respondents are five parents living at Bagong Sicat,

Science City of Muñoz. The selection of respondents will be done

using probability sampling especially convenient sampling.

Data Gathering Technique

Using the indigenous approach, the research will use

“pakikipag-kwentuhan” as technique on gathering important

information about the problem of the study. Pakikipag-kwentuhan

will be done at their house with prior consent. For the later

analysis of the outcome of data gathering using pakikipag-

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 13

kwentuhan, voice recorder will be used and one of the researchers

will jot down important conversation.

Data Gathering Procedure

Prior to the data gathering process, the researchers

conducted a pakikipag-kwentuhan at Villa Nati last August, 2009.

Some of the techniques of the researchers were asking permission

to the barangay captain for us to legally gather information and

for referral. But since the barangay captain was not at home that

time, the researchers look for another technique and come up with

the idea of beginning the pakikipag-kwentuhan at store owner. The

research had three participants and as the conversation

progressed, they come up with the problem about the parent’s

characteristics and parenting style that affect their children’s

interest as study.

September 29, 2009 at exactly 2:00 pm, the data gathering

procedure will be done. The data gathering procedure will be

done. The researchers will go to Bagong Sicat, Science City of

Muñoz as the locale of the study for practical purposes. The

researchers will select the respondents considering the

respondents’ availability (i.e., they are seen outside their

house or those who initiate conversation). The researchers will

introduce themselves and begin the data gathering in a natural

way of conversation (which is suggested by the method of

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 14

pakikipag-kwentuhan). For clarification purposes, the researchers

will use voice recorder and jot down information about the

respondents.

Data Gathering Analysis

Thematic approach will be used to study the respondents’

characteristics and parenting style and how it affects their

children’s interest in study.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 15

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

First Respondent

Susan Likudan has 3 children (the youngest is 9 months , the

second youngest is 3 years old and the eldest Jack Daniel is

grade 3 who studies under Special Education curriculum at San

Jose city with hearing deficiency. She and her husband are

currently unemployed but her husband still looks for side line

jobs. Because of this, it’s hard for them to support their son’s

education since she has to buy milk for her youngest child. Aside

from it, a hundred peso per day is not enough for Jack to get

through schooling since SanJose City is quite far from their

residence. That’s why Jack can only attend classes on about 3

days in a week, at most.

Susan describes her characteristic as parent being a loving,

caring, disciplined and “a bit” kind one. Whenever her child got

sick, she sees to it that they get proper attention and care and

if necessary they will seek for a doctor. They just eat their

meal only after their children finish theirs to make sure their

children had enough food to eat. Susan is also expressive to her

love for her children by orally expressing it to them. Her

parenting style is manifested when she discipline her children.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 16

She always corrects her children when committing mistake by

giving good counsel (such as “love each other, “be kind”, “don’t

steal”). Sometimes she spanked them and raises her voice whenever

they become unruly during meal time. Susan says that Jack has

interest on studying, especially drawing. As noted by jack’s

teacher, he is intelligent but always makes absences. Jack’s

aspiration is to become a police man but Susan can’t help to

laugh in his dream. She argues that “how can you be one? You

cannot hear!” Every morning, Susan wakens jack and prepare to go

schooling.

Second Respondent

Rolando Calimbo, 31 years old, is the second respondent.

They have 2 children (the oldest is currently on 3rd grade while

the second is 7 months old). They make a living by managing a

sari-sari store and through driving a tricycle.

As a father, Rolando describes himself as kind, supportive

and disciplined. He always correct his child’s mistake in a nice,

unaggressive way (he seldom use hostility to discipline his

child’s). He teaches his child good manner. He limits his child’s

tv watching and urges him to read their book. When his child got

perfect score on test, he gives consideration by treating him

foods to monitor his children’s spending of money, he don’t give

money to him, instead he prepare s food for him or “baon”. His

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 17

wife is a plain house wife in-charge with the task of assisting

their child on their assignment and project making. As a father,

he is the one who do heavy tasks at home. Ronaldo also sees

conditioning as a way of motivating their child on school by

setting good environment conclusive for learning, rewarding their

children’s achievement at school, etc. They also do not let their

child see their problem so that he will only focus on his

schooling. As a result, their child does very well at school and

always placed on top of his classes with a learned interest on

his study.

Third Respondents

Ressureccion (50) and Simeon Blanche (49) were our fourth

respondents. They have 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls. Three of

them finished their college while 1 stopped and the other is a

4th year in high school. They make a living through farming.

With tears on their eyes, they describe their characteristic

as kind disciplined parents they do not spank their children they

have to be corrected, instead they do it using verbal cries. At

weekend, they urge their children to go with them on farm so that

they will not make “gala” with their “barkada”. Having low

economic income source, they sometimes adjust their children’s

allowance enough just to fare their way to school. They also

remind their children that “education is the only treasure we can

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 18

give to you”, “have fear on God (for it is the beginning of all

wisdom)”, “do not do bad things or else…” Based on them, the

study of their children from eldest to youngest have been very

good because they did not experience being driven by barkada,

“walang kalokohan ” and more importantly they did not have vices.

Fourth Respondent

Leticia Villanueva, 54 years old was our 4th

participant. She has 6 children (3 of them already have their own

family, 1 6 on Singapore, 1 stopped schooling and the other is

first year college at CLSU). They have a small fishpond that

supports their daily needs. Her husband is a tricycle driver. She

is currently taking rest because she was hospitalized due to

accident.

For her, she is a disciplined mother but placed less

limitation to her children. She also uses verbal cues to

discipline their children instead of physically hurting them. She

let her children do whatever they want but she always do the

awakening every morning for their children to go to school. Based

on her, her children cannot be trusted on doing household chores

so that the responsibilities were shouldered by her (such as

cleaning the house, washing their clothes and disciplining their

children). She also says that their children do well on school.

She will do everything for their children to get through because

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 19

she does not want them to experience what she experience because

of not studying.

Fifth Respondent

Remedios Lavapie (52 years old) was our last respondent. She

has 3 children (1 teacher, 1 computer technician and a 2nd year

student at CLSU). She is unemployed and her husband is a driver.

According to her, she is a 100% thoughtful and caring, loving,

supportive. She also treats her children as friends or buddies.

When asked how she disciplines her children, she joked by saying

“they are the ones who discipline me”. Seriously, she often

reminds their children to the do’s and don’ts on terms of study

and love life but she admits being not-strict parents. She is

also a straight forward speaker. She doesn’t stop working in home

and less frequently command her children to work at home

considering that they are studying. She always says that it is

okay to have a boyfriend but avoid teenage pregnancy (they are

proffered active church members). To her, if you are a supportive

parent, your child will be motivated to study hard. As a result,

her youngest do well in school and manage to study hard while

supporting her study though Bungkos Palay. Unquestionably, “she

had interest on her study” says Remedios.

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 20

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Based on the discussion, the researchers conclude the

following:

The characteristic of parents in Bagong Sicat, Science City

of Muñoz are caring, loving, supportive, kind and thoughtful. It

is manifested by taking good care of their children when they are

sick, prioritized their children’s welfare more than their own,

using words rather than physical contact to discipline them, and

treating them as friends . Their parenting styles were

characterized by the way of disciplining them. They are the ones

who waken the children’s up during morning. They also limit the

time of their children’s tv watching and money spending. And by

constantly reminding them on what behaviors to posses (such as

“love each other’s”, “don’t steal”;”have fear to god”, “education

is important”), they are assured that their children are on the

right tract.

These characteristic and parenting styles of the respondents

have both direct and indirect affect to their children’s interest

in study. Because of low income, their children sometimes cannot

attend their classes even if they want to. By keeping them

healthy, the children are continue to do well in class. By being

supportive, the children are continued to study and achieve high

grades on school (supportiveness was shown by giving rewards

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 21

whenever they got perfect score on a test). By showing kindness,

the children realized the importance of education (they are often

reminded how important the education is). Parenting style

characterized by their way of disciplining their children also

affects their interest on studying. By waking up their children

in the morning, the children are able to go to school early. By

limiting the TV-watching and money spending of their children,

they were able to concentrate on studies and not on other things.

By monitoring their children’s life style (e.g. they were asked

to join their parent as from during weekends, being open to their

children bf/gf relationship) their children end up having no

vices, being not driven by barkda and not engaging a early

pregnancy which help them focus on their studies

Based on the conclusion made, researchers recommend:

1. Due to lack of communication skills, the researchers do not

completely use the method of pakikipagkwentuhan. Although

the respondents were oriented to a natural way of

conversation (for us to gather data), there are times that

the researchers loose their words and cannot help to rely on

their guide questions. This short-coming is due in part of

lack of guidelines on the use of pakikipagkwentuhan as data

gathering technique. With this, we are recommending that the

researchers especially those who lack communication skill

Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 22

should strictly follow the guidelines (if any) so that the

outcomes of data gathering will be more efficient and

effective.

2. For the future researchers conducting similar lines of

topic, they might include the parents’ children on the study

and on data gathering so that there will be no biases.

Issues will also be clarified and settled for more defined

one.

3. It seems obvious that the parents only discussed their

positive characteristics and their good parenting style.

Future researchers studying this kind of research might take

serious efforts on identifying the negative characteristics

and the not-so-good parenting style they possess and how

these factors affect or influence their children’s interest

on study. They should also provide proper atmosphere so that

parents will be comfortable disclosing their negative sides

as parents. To this end, the underlying purpose why this

study was made will be realized.

References
Running Head: Parents’ Characteristics and Style 23

Aguila M. V. (2009) Paranting Style: A comparison

http://www.mc.edu.ph/about/rpmo/abstracts/vol.

%2022%20abstracts/Aguila%20PARENTING%20STYLES.pdf

Ginsburg, G. and Bronstein, P. (1993) Family Factors Related to

Children's Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivational Orientation and

Academic Performance. Society for Research in Child

Development.

Khaki, H. 2008. Pinoy Parenting.

http://www.pinoyparenting.com/modules.php?

name=News&file=article&sid=3