Influence of Parental Communication and Interaction on Children's Self Esteem and Social Development

Student: Testimony Olanike Iyilade (Project, 2025)
Department of Home Economics
University of Ilorin, Kwara State

Abstract

This study examined the influence of parental communication and interaction on children's self-esteem and social development, using a descriptive survey approach. The research was guided by Attachment Theory and Social Learning Theory, emphasizing the role of emotionally supportive and structured parenting. A pilot study conducted with 20 parents in Ilorin West LGA yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.92, confirming the instrument's internal consistency. Subsequently, 200 parents were sampled using multistage and proportionate sampling techniques. Data collection involved a structured questionnaire and analysis using SPSS (v21.0), including descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and inferential tests at 0.05 significance. Strong parental engagement in practices such as active listening, emotional validation, and teamwork was reported, with all mean ratings above 3.0 on a 4-point scale. Hypothesis testing confirmed a significant relationship between parental communication styles and children's self-esteem (F=5.82, p

Keywords
parental communication child development self-esteem social skills parent-child interaction emotional support parenting styles social development empathy in parenting family relationship patterns
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