A Comparison of Parenting Styles and Students’ Social Development in Public and Private Schools

This study sought to compare parenting styles and students’ social development in public and private schools. This descriptive study had a causal-comparative design. The statistical population of the study comprised all sixth grade girls and boys in the Baharan, Borhan, Ferdowsi, Ershad, Bani Hashemi, Tarbiat and Gha’em primary schools in Karaj (District 3) in academic year 2015-2016. To draw the sample, convenience sampling method was used and 156 students were selected (78 students from each school type). The instruments included Vineland Social Maturity Scale (1953) and Baumrind's Parenting Styles Questionnaire (1991). The Data were analyzed by MANOVA and student’s t-test. The results showed that there was no significant difference between parents in public and private schools as to permissive and authoritative parenting styles; however, significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding authoritarian parenting style. More specifically, parents in public schools gained higher average levels of authoritarian parenting style. Moreover, the two groups of students in public and private schools were different in terms of social development and private school students obtained higher average levels of social development.