PARENTING STYLES AND PERSONALITY TRAITS AS CORRELATES OF BULLYING BEHAVIOUR AMONG IN-SCHOOL ADOLESCENTS IN OSUN STATE, NIGERIA: A MIXED-METHODS ANALYSIS

Abstract

The study explored parenting styles and personality traits as correlates of bullying behaviour among in-school adolescents in Osun State, Nigeria. The study was anchored on attachment and trait theories while explanatory sequential mixed-method design was employed. Self-designed questionnaire and interview guide were used to obtain information from the respondents. Stratified, purposive and simple random sampling procedures were used to select two-hundred participant from both private and public secondary school sampled. Inferential statistical tools were used to analyse the generated data. The results indicated that authoritarian parenting style (β = 0.002, t = 1.211, 0.002<.05), authoritative parenting style (β = -0.101, t = 1.21, 0.001<.05), permissive parenting style (β = 0.302, t = 1.472, 0.002<.05), and neglectful parenting style (β = 0.201, t = 1.562, 0.003<.05) had relative contribution to in-school adolescent exhibition of bullying behaviour. The honesty-humility personality trait (β = -0.011, t = 1.201, 0.004<.05), emotionality personality trait (β = 0.023, t = 1.321, 0.03<.05), extraversion personality trait (β = 0.122, t = 1.374, 0.001<.05), and conscientiousness personality trait (β = -0.311, t = 1.363, 0.004<.05) had relative contribution to in-school adolescent exhibition of bullying behaviour. The composite contribution of predictors (F _(13;187) = 13.112; R² adjusted=.471) on in-school adolescent exhibition of bullying behaviour was significant, accounting for 57.1% of the variance.  There was no significant difference in the exhibition of bullying behaviour basis of school types (t₁₉₉ = 0.207; 0.660 > 0.05) and sex (sex (t₁₉₉ = 0.305; 0.760 > 0.05). The study concluded that parenting styles significantly influence bullying behaviour among in-school adolescents, with authoritative parenting reducing bullying and other styles increasing it. Sex and school types do not play a significant role in determining bullying behaviour among students. The school management should develop universal anti-bullying strategies that target all students, regardless of sex and school types and parents should adopt authoritative parenting styles, characterised by warmth, support, and consistent discipline, to prevent and reduce bullying behaviour among in-school adolescents among other were suggested for concerned stakeholders.