Parental Styles, Self-Concept and Depressive Symptoms among Nigerian Adolescents

Parental styles and negative self-concept are risk factors for depressive symptoms in children and adolescents. 305 secondary school students ( x =15.47; SD = 1.44) in Ilesa, Osun State, Nigeria selected using multistage sampling technique responded to Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), Children Depression Inventory (CDI), and Multidimensional Self-Concept Scale (MSCS). Findings reveals 2% prevalence of severe level of depressive symptoms as well as a significant negative relationship between depressive symptoms and father (r = -0.257; p < 0.05) and mother (r = -0.191; p < 0.05) authoritative parental styles. Also, children of single parents reported significantly higher depressive symptoms than those whose parents were living together (Mean difference = 3.06). The study identified significant negative relationships between self-regard dimension of self-concept (r = -.31, p