Relationship between mothers' parenting style in female students of guidance schools in Isfahan and background factors

Background: Parenting style in communication with teenagers is a complex and double way process that affects progress and success of all generations both at present time and future. Due to the importance of having accurate knowledge about mothers' parenting style and its underlying factors, it has been assessed in this study. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study on 737 female students in guidance schools in Isfahan. Information about background factors and mothers' parenting styles were gathered according to parent's control and responding via specified questionnaires. Data was analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: According to the results, 30.8 % of students had mothers with authoritative parental style, 48.2 % had mothers with permissive parental styles, 7.9 % had despotic mothers and 13.2 % had mothers with neglectful parental style. Data analysis showed significant correlation between mother's education and parenting style but there was no significant relation between parental style and student's age, mother's age, birth rank and mother's employment. Conclusion: This study concluded that permissive style and after that, despotic style, were the most common parenting styles in female guidance school students' mothers. Mothers with higher levels of education used permissive and despotic parenting styles more in comparison with other mothers. It seems that these mothers try to response to physiological and emotional needs of their daughters instead of teach them the family values.