UNDERSTANDING PERCEIVED PARENTING STYLES ON STUDENT’S PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL

College students face a number of challenges ranging from the demands of their academic performance, managing interpersonal relationships in institution to uncertain job conditions (Houghton et al., 2012). These challenges create problems of academic adjustment and performance. Scholars have emphasized the need of positive strengths and qualities in students (Martens & Witt, 2004) which help in social, emotional, and cognitive development and adjustment in educational setting. Positives strengths and qualities help prevent problem behaviors in students (Reddy, Newman, Thomas, & Chun, 2009; Seligman, 2002), increase academic achievement (Lassen, Steele, & Sailor, 2006; Luthans, Avolio, Avey, & Norman, 2007), enhance academic engagement (Siu, Bakker, & Jiang, 2013), and reduce stress (Riolli, Savicki & Richards, 2012). Theory of psychological capital (Luthans, Youssef & Avolio, 2007), drawn from the positive psychology, provided an avenue in understanding positive strengths and qualities in students which can help in addressing their challenges.