The sharing of trauma is rampant in social media; you will see how some shared that they are grateful for their parents for ‘shaping them the way they are today’. Meanwhile, some also showed concern that they are not capable of making decisions because parents used to decide for them when they were growing up.
Why I want to do this research
Personally, I questioned the way I am at the moment and if there was any indication that my lack of confidence, my constant need to please people, my inability to say ‘no’, and when I have a hard time apologising when things go downhill. Have these behaviours something to do with the way my parents acted around me, or how they disciplined me growing up?
There are some misconceptions formed in terminologies or with how some things are explained and that were engraved in the mind of the child, and it was brought throughout adulthood. For example, hitting someone shows love and how being hit means you’re being loved; telling your children what to do because you know better and because you only want what’s best for them, and therefore limiting a child’s or even an adult’s life decision making, their ability to think for themselves and survive the life they will have to lead in the future.
Sometimes, an adult’s behaviour is often overseen as an attitude problem; one adult often adjusts his boundaries to accommodate the people around him because he’s afraid to say no; someone finds it hard to discuss an issue with their boss because they are scared of confrontation; Another seeks other opinions because he is scared to make his own. There are also some who speak their mind, have a clear indication of their boundaries, and are confident with voicing out their opinions, recommendations, suggestions, etc.
Methodology
This research proposal aims to understand how the parenting styles of parents of the eldest daughters, their early source of a nurturing environment, affects their development towards adulthood.
The study will use the phenomenological method. It will be done through an in-depth interview. Questions will be prepared before the interview proper.
The researcher will make use of social media platforms to call for participants to join the research. The participant should be the eldest daughter in a Filipino family.
Research variables
Parenting style (independent variable)
There are four parenting styles according to Diana Baumrind:
- Authoritative. This style is high in support but reasonable and consistent. The expectations for children’s behaviour, communicate well with them, are warm and responsive, and use reasoning rather than coercion to guide children’s behaviours.
- Authoritarian. This parenting style expects and demands obedience because they are ‘in charge’ and they do not provide any explanations for their orders.
- Permissive. Parents who have permissive are high in support and low in demandingness.
- Uninvolved. This parenting style is characterised by being neglectful or rejecting of their children and do not provide most if any, necessary parenting responsibilities.
Cognitive process (dependent variable)
Cognition is defined as mental processes relating to the input and storage of information and how that information is then used to guide your behaviour. Cognitive aspects to be discussed may or may not affect decision-making, social skills, confidence, and other personality traits.
Contribution of the research
This research will help society understand the importance of child-rearing practices in early childhood with how an adult will be formed.
I aim to identify if there is a correlation between adult behaviours that happens in the everyday lives of individuals, with how they were brought up by their parent’s parenting styles thereby making way for parents to understand just how important their words and actions are in child upbringing, that what they show and what they make their children feel can make or break a person – even when they are already an adult.
Niña Coleen Abbygaile D. Torres is a master’s degree student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
