Study of Parenting Styles of Females Working in Hospitals Affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and Related Variables during Year 2014

Parenting styles, as the most important and most fundamental factor shaping children's personality, are influenced by many factors including social, economic, and occupational experiences of parents. Considering job characteristics of females working in hospitals, this study aimed at investigating the parenting styles of females working in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and some relevant variables during year 2014.
This was a correlational cross-sectional study, in which 202 females working in hospitals of Isfahan and having children with an age range of 1 to 11, were selected by convenience sampling method. All participants completed the questionnaire of demographic features and also Baumrind’s parenting style questionnaire. The information was analyzed based on descriptive and analytical statistic methods and also using the SPSS software Version 20.
The results revealed that participants received the highest average score in authoritative parenting style (32.4 ± 4.2), and the lowest in the authoritarian style (16.78 ± 6). Among the studied variables, age and number of children were negatively correlated with permissive parenting style score, and education level was positively correlated with permissive parenting style score. Other variables, however, were not significantly correlated with the parenting styles.
Considering the job characteristics of females and the essential role of mothers in raising children, it is necessary to adjust working hours of females, in addition to training and promoting parenting skills and facilities.