Role of Perceived Parenting Style, Prosocial Behavior and Happiness in University Students

Abstract

The current study examines the relationships between perceived parenting styles, pro-social behavior, and happiness in university students, focusing on their correlations and predictive impacts. A co relational study design was adopted, involving a sample of 300 university students. The research aimed to see the correlation between perceived parenting styles and happiness, assess regression effects of parenting styles and their subscales, evaluate whether parenting styles predict happiness, and check the mediation role of pro-social behavior in these relationships. Data were collected and three standardized questionnaires as Perceived Parenting Style scale by (Divya & Manikandan, 2013) which included subscales for perceived parenting styles (authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive), Helping Attitude Scale (Nickell, G., 1998) which was used as pro-social behavior, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (Hills, P. & Argyle, M., 2002) was used to assess happiness. The procedure involved gathering self-reported responses from participants, ensuring anonymity and ethical considerations. Results revealed significant positive correlations between authoritative parenting and both pro-social behavior (p< .441) and happiness (p< .332), while authoritarian parenting styles demonstrated negative associations i.e., (p< -.256) and (p< -.301). Regression analysis identified authoritative parenting as a significant predictor of happiness, whereas authoritarian and permissive styles had variable effects. Mediation analysis highlighted pro-social behavior as a key intermediary, enhancing the influence of positive parenting on happiness outcomes as it successfully explains 10.7% of happiness variations through its fit statistics which show R = 0.327 and R² = 0.107. These findings emphasize the importance of structured parenting practices, which foster emotional well-being, empathy, and social competence. Perceived parenting styles, pro social behavior and happiness are studied among the university students using demographic and situational factors. Core hypotheses concern the correlations among these variables, parenting styles’ predictive effect on happiness, and the mediating effect of pro-social behavior. The research shows that parenting styles strongly affect how university students feel happy and behave positively towards others. From the researched styles of parenting, it shows that authoritative parenting works best because it uses both high responsiveness and high demandingness. To help students develop better overall they need support from education leaders and policy makers along with their parents and it is recommended to Promote authoritative parenting style and also integrate family support programs in educational institutions.