Volume 14, 2025
Exploring the Correlation between Parenting Styles and Socio-Emotional Skills of Preschoolers in Shomolu Local Government Area, Lagos State
Ruth Chinyere, NWAOYIBO & Magdalene Roli, OMOLE
Abstract
Lack of parental, caregiver, sibling, and peer interaction delay preschoolers' socio-emotional development.
This causes discontent, academic failure, and behavioural issues. This study examined how parenting styles
affect preschoolers' socio-emotional skills in Shomolu LGA, Lagos State. Using a Correlational survey research
design, this study targeted all Kindergarten preschoolers and their parents from public pre-primary schools in
Shomolu LGA of Lagos State. The sample included 120 Kindergartens and their parents from 10 randomly
chosen Shomolu LGA public pre-primary schools. Kimble (2014) and Saadu and Agbo (2022) were used to
adapt a 20-item Parenting Styles Scale (PSS) and a 14-item Preschooler Socio-emotional Skills Assessment
Scale (PSESAS) with 0.77 and 0.89 reliability coefcients, respectively. A 0.05 signicance level was employed
to test the hypotheses using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. The ndings showed a signicant negative
relationship between authoritarian parenting style and preschooler socio-emotional skill, a signicant negative
relationship between permissive parenting style and preschooler socio-emotional skill, and a signicant
positive correlation between authoritative parenting style and preschooler socio-emotional skill. This study
suggests that workshops and seminars should educate parents about parenting approaches that promote socio-emotional skills development in children inside and outside the school.
Keywords
Authoritarian, Authoritative, Parenting style, Permissive, Preschool, Socio-emotional development
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