Predicting Adolescent Addiction Readiness Based on Parenting Styles and the Mediating Role of the Locus of Control: a Descriptive Study

Parenting styles play an important role in raising children. These methods can play an important role in preventing or developing addiction in children. The aim of this study was to predict adolescent addiction readiness based on parenting styles and the mediating role of the locus of control.

The method of this research is descriptive and structural equation modeling. The statistical population of this study included all adolescent boys in the second year of high school, along with their parents in Izeh in the academic year 2018-19. From the mentioned population, 300 people were selected by cluster random sampling. In this study, students completed the Rutter Control Source Questionnaire and the Addiction Readiness Questionnaire and their parents also completed the Baumrind Parenting Styles Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed by path analysis method.

In this study, the results of path analysis indicated the fit of the hypothetical research model. Data analysis showed that the path coefficients of easy parenting style on addiction readiness (β=0.301, p<0.001), the path coefficients of authoritarian parenting style on addiction readiness (β=0.310, p<0.001) and the path coefficients of authoritative parenting style on addiction readiness (β=-0.398, p<0.001) are significant in the model under study. Moreover, the locus of control plays a mediating role in the relationships between adolescent addiction readiness and parenting styles.

According to the results, the variables of parenting styles and locus of control can be used to explain the readiness of adolescents for addiction. Therefore, it is suggested that the results of this study be used in designing educational and treatment programs for adolescents’ addiction.