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Mental health challenges now touch more than a billion lives worldwide, and adolescents sit at the most vulnerable crossroads of this crisis. The World Health Organization identifies suicide as the third leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 29, underscoring the urgency of understanding factors that shape adolescent psychological well-being. While biological changes and academic pressures play obvious roles, emerging research points to something far more immediate and influential: the style of parenting adolescents experience at home.
A new study from Nepal, published in PLOS One, provides one of the most detailed examinations to date of how parenting styles correlate with mental health among South Asian adolescents. Led by public health lecturer Rabina Khadka of the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences, the research sheds light on how different parenting environments contribute to levels of depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem.
The research team surveyed 583 school-going adolescents in Bheemdatt Municipality, a diverse region in far-western Nepal. Participants were asked to complete a structured four-part questionnaire designed to measure:
• Mental health indicators, including depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem, using standardized and widely validated psychological scales.
• Perceived parenting style (authoritative, authoritarian or permissive), based on how adolescents interpreted their parents’ behavior, warmth, support and discipline.
• Demographic and social factors such as age, gender, parental education, family structure and peer relationships.
This multi-layered approach allowed the researchers to look beyond single variables and examine how parenting interacts with other aspects of adolescents’ lives.
The findings point to an urgent need for intervention. Anxiety affected 42.19% of the adolescents, depression was reported in 37.39% and stress in 24.69%. Despite these numbers, nearly seven in ten participants (69.3%) reported high self-esteem, a reminder that positive self-regard and psychological distress can coexist during adolescence.
When it came to parenting, most teens perceived their parents as authoritative (83.2%), followed by permissive (56.6%) and authoritarian (43.6%).
These rates mirror global concerns about rising adolescent distress and indicate a clear need for targeted mental health interventions in Nepal.
Adolescents identified the following parenting behaviors:
• Authoritative parenting (83.2%) – characterized by warmth, communication and consistent rules.
• Permissive parenting (56.6%) – high warmth but low structure.
• Authoritarian parenting (43.6%) – strict control with limited emotional responsiveness.
Because parenting styles can overlap, many teens reported more than one dominant style in their household.
The statistical analysis revealed strong, consistent patterns:
Teens exposed to authoritarian parenting were more likely to experience depression and exhibited lower self-esteem. This style, marked by strict discipline, limited discussion and emotional distance, can heighten stress hormones and undermine confidence, contributing to internalizing problems.
While permissive parents offer warmth and acceptance, the lack of guidance and boundary-setting was linked to higher stress levels. Adolescents may struggle to regulate emotions or cope with challenges when limits are unclear.
This balanced style, which combines warmth with clear expectations and communication, stood out as a major protective factor. Adolescents with authoritative parents were less likely to experience:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stress
They were also significantly more likely to report high self-esteem. Neurodevelopmental research supports this pattern: consistent emotional support and structure help regulate stress systems and strengthen resilience.
The study emphasizes that parenting alone cannot predict mental health outcomes. Social conditions, especially within schools, play an equally important role.
• Adolescents who experienced bullying or peer conflict were at substantially higher risk for depression and anxiety.
• Teens who lacked close friendships or social support also showed poorer mental health outcomes.
• A negative school climate further intensified emotional distress.
The findings echo global studies showing that peer victimization is one of the strongest predictors of mental health problems during adolescence.
The research team recommends a multi-layered approach to improving adolescent mental health:
Programs that teach emotional communication, positive discipline and supportive engagement can help families adopt more authoritative parenting techniques.
Anti-bullying programs, peer-support groups and accessible school counseling services can directly reduce teen distress.
Public health strategies should integrate family-based education with youth mental health services, particularly in rapidly changing socio-cultural environments like Nepal.
As global mental health challenges intensify, this study adds crucial evidence that everyday family interactions powerfully shape adolescent emotional development. Authoritative parenting, warm, structured, communicative and supportive, emerges as a consistent protective factor across cultures.
The scientific consensus is clear: parenting style is not simply a family preference; it is a potent determinant of mental health trajectory during adolescence. Promoting authoritative, emotionally attuned parenting can function as a form of early, non-pharmacological preventive medicine, reducing long-term risks for psychiatric disorders and strengthening resilience during a pivotal stage of life.
Continued research, especially longitudinal neurodevelopmental studies, will refine our understanding of how parental behavior shapes the adolescent brain. The collaboration of clinicians, educators, and public health policymakers will be essential to translate this knowledge into healthier futures for adolescents.
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