Parenting styles and practices as predictors of adjustment and drinking motives during the first year of college

Abstract

For many students, the transition from high school to college is accompanied by a considerable amount of stress. Past research has examined factors that make this transition more or less stressful, and one area of focus has been the parent-child relationship. This study examined how parenting styles and practices predict a student's ability to adjust to college. First year college students (N=182) completed questionnaires that assessed parenting styles, parenting practices, adjustment to college, and drinking problems. Authoritative parenting predicted better adjustment and fewer alcohol problems. Homework involvement predicted better overall adjustment. Parenting practices were shown to play a mediating role between authoritative parenting and adjustment in some cases, and authoritative parenting moderated the relationship between parenting practices and drinking problems. Overall, these findings suggest that parenting continues to play an important role in students' lives during college, and further research is needed to better understand these interactions.