Role of Parenting Styles in Drug Abuse among Secondary School Students in Embu County, Kenya

Drug abuse among students is a worldwide problem; where none of the social institutions like such as the family, the schools the religious based organizations result to blaming each other over the menace without any of them taking responsibility. Yet before a child is released to the outside word the first socializing institution is the family. This study investigated the role of parenting styles on drug abuse among public secondary school The study used a sample of 399 students, 15 guidance and counseling teachers and 15 focus group discussions were used to collect in-depth views of the respondents. The study was grounded on Bronfernbrenners’ bioecological theory and parenting styles theory by Maccoby and Martins. Survey research design was adopted for the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from students on parenting style and students’ drug abuse, focus group discussion schedule was used to collect in-depth views of students on their relationship with their parents, while interview schedule was used to collect views of guidance and counseling teachers on students’ drug related behavior. For the purpose of this paper parenting styles are limited to authoritative, authoritarian, permissive indulgence and permissive neglectful, while drug abuse is limited to use of alcohol, cigarette and bhang or marijuana. The paper discusses the role played by different parenting styles on secondary school students’ suicidal behaviors.