Relationship between Parental Treatment Styles and Academic Excellence among Second-Year Secondary Students. Science

Economic, social, and cultural development in various societies is achieved through a forwardlooking vision that helps solve problems and difficulties hindering progress. This relies on several essential factors:

• •    A societal philosophy acting as a reference framework for resolving issues and promoting progress.

• •    Harmony and integration among various social systems, such as the family, school, and media, each fulfilling its role.

• •    Comprehensive development of human potential in psychological and social domains.

Based on this, the researcher aimed to contribute to the study of academic excellence, examining the relationship between family and school, where the former plays a crucial role in socialization (Desouki, 1979, p. 273) and the latter is established by society to meet essential needs, socializing individuals into productive members (Sharouk, 2004, p. 72).

Research Problem

The family is a fundamental environment where an individual develops their personality and behaviors according to societal values and norms. Evaluating family performance requires understanding the nature and dynamics of socialization, specifically the impact of parental treatment styles on psychological and social growth, whether positive or negative.

Previous studies have investigated the impact of parental treatment styles on various aspects, such as depression, self-formation, motivation for achievement, academic success, academic failure, psychopathic deviation, and substance abuse.

This study focuses on the relationship between parental treatment styles and academic excellence, emphasizing both positive and negative treatment styles, including:

• •    Control and dominance

• •    Inconsistency

• •    Differentiation

• •    Overprotection

• •    Proper treatment

Research Questions

• •    Is there a relationship between parental treatment styles and academic excellence among second-year secondary students?

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• •   Are there gender differences in students' perceptions of parental treatment styles?

• •   Are there gender differences in students' levels of academic excellence?

Research Objectives

• •    To understand the nature of the relationship between parental treatment styles and academic excellence.

• •    To determine gender differences in the degree of academic excellence.

Hypotheses

The researcher posited the following hypotheses:

• •    There is a relationship between parental treatment styles and academic excellence among second-year secondary students.

• •   There are gender differences in students' perceptions of parental treatment styles.

• •   There are gender differences in students' levels of academic excellence.

Methodology

The study utilized the "Amani Abdel Maqsoud" parental treatment styles scale, consisting of subscales for various treatment styles:

• 1.    Differentiation

• 2.    Control and dominance

• 3.    Inconsistency

• 4.    Overprotection

• 5.    Proper treatment

Academic excellence was measured by calculating the combined average of the first and second semester grades.

Parenting Styles and Academic Excellence

The family is a crucial environment for personality development and behavior shaping, but its effectiveness depends on the dynamics of socialization and the impact of parenting styles on a child's psychological and psychosocial development. These styles, used by parents in raising their children, have been studied in relation to depression, ego development, achievement motivation, academic success and failure, psychopathic deviation, drug addiction, and more. This study focuses on normal and abnormal parenting styles, including control, inconsistency, discrimination, overprotection, and fair treatment. The research questions are: Is there a relationship between parenting styles and academic excellence in second-year high school students? Are there differences between males and females in their perception of parenting styles? Are there differences between males and females in their level of academic excellence?

The study utilized the Parenting Styles Scale by Amani Abdel Maqsoud, which includes subscales for discrimination, authoritarian and hegemonic approach, fluctuating style, overprotection, and fair treatment. To assess the validity of the scale, the internal consistency

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method was used, calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient between the subscales and the overall scale score. The results showed that most correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the 0.01 level, except for the discrimination subscale, which was significant at the 0.05 level. This indicates that the scale is valid in measuring parenting styles.

Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The results showed that most correlation coefficients were statistically significant at the 0.01 level, indicating that the scale is reliable in measuring parenting styles.

Investigative instruments:

The investigator employed the Parenting Styles Scale developed by Amani Abdel Maqsoud, which comprises the subsequent sub-scales:

• 1-    Discriminatory approach, 2- The authoritarian and hegemonic approach, 3- The fluctuating style, 4- Overprotective approach,

• 5-    The approach of equitable or just treatment.

The scale's validity:

The scale's validity was assessed through the internal consistency technique by computing the Pearson correlation coefficient between the sub-scale scores and the total scale score.

The outcomes are presented in the subsequent tables: SPSS 22.0

Parenting Style	Correlation Coefficient	Significance Level
Discriminatory approach	0.388*	Significant
Control and Domination Style	0.497**	Significant
The Inconsistency Style	0.360**	Significant
Overprotective Style	0.851**	Significant
Fair treatment	0.861**	Significant

Table 1 presents the correlation coefficients between the subscale scores and the overall score of the father's parental style scale.

Table 1 indicates that the majority of the correlation coefficients are statistically significant at the 0.01 level, with the exception of the differentiation method, which is significant at the 0.05 level.

The results affirm the validity of the father's parenting style measure.

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Parenting Style	Correlation Coefficient	Significance Level
Discriminatory Style	0.605**	Significant
Control and Domination Style	0.806**	Significant
The Inconsistency Style	0.614**	Significant
Overprotective Style	0.719**	Significant
Fair treatment	0.756**	Significant

Table 2 presents the correlation coefficients between the subscale scores and the total score of the maternal parenting styles scale.

Table 2 shows that all subscales of parental treatment styles are strongly correlated with the total score of the scale, indicating that the scale is effective and reliable in assessing mothers’ parental treatment styles. All correlation coefficients are positive and statistically significant (usually at the 0.01 or 0.05 level), indicating a strong relationship between each subscale of parental treatment style and the total score of the scale.

The highest correlation is with the "Control and Domination Style" (0.806), followed by "Proper Treatment Style" (0.756), "Overprotection Style" (0.719), "Inconsistency Style" (0.614), and finally "Discrimination Style" (0.605).

This means that all these subscales contribute significantly to the total score of the scale. The higher the score in any of these styles, the higher the overall score on the parental treatment styles scale, reflecting high internal consistency.

Alpha level Coefficient of correlation Parental caregiving approaches

Parenting Style	Reliability Alpha)	Coefficient	(Cronbach’s
Discriminatory Style	0.806
Control          and Domination	0.714
Inconsistency	0.715
Overprotection	0.751

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Parenting Style	Reliability Alpha)	Coefficient	(Cronbach’s
Fair treatment	0.843

Table 3: Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficients for the Father’s Parenting Styles Scale

Table 3 presents the Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the father’s parenting styles scale.

These results indicate that the scale used to assess the father’s parenting styles is statistically reliable. The high Cronbach’s Alpha values show strong internal consistency, meaning the items within each subscale reliably measure the intended parenting style. This supports the use of the scale for research or assessment purposes.

Parental Treatment Style	Reliability Coefficient  (Cronbach’s Alpha)
Discriminatory Style	0.739
Control         and Domination	0.804
Inconsistency	0.712
Overprotection	0.693
Fair treatment	0.883

Table 4: Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficients for the Mother’s Parenting Styles Scale

Table 4 presents the Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the mother’s parenting styles scale.

The table demonstrates that the scale used to measure mothers’ parental treatment styles has acceptable to high reliability across different styles, supporting its use in psychological and educational research.

Results

The results indicated no general correlation between parental treatment styles and academic excellence. However, a positive correlation was found between the mother's overprotective and proper treatment styles and academic excellence. No significant gender differences were found in perceptions of parental treatment styles, except in cases of differentiation, control and dominance,

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and inconsistency by the father, where differences favored boys. No significant gender differences were observed in academic excellence levels.

Interpretation of Hypothesis Results

Hypothesis 1: There is a relationship between parenting treatment styles and academic excellence in second-year high school students.

The results showed no correlation between parenting styles and academic excellence in general, except for a positive correlation between maternal protection and fair treatment and academic excellence. This indicates that the more mothers use protection and fair treatment, the higher the academic excellence of their children. This finding can be attributed to the mother's role in providing academic monitoring and support.

The results revealed no general correlation between parental treatment styles and academic excellence,     except     for     a     positive     link     between     maternal balanced treatment (r=0.222,p<0.05r=0.222,p<0.05)    and overprotection (r=0.203,p<0.05r=0.203,p<0.05)

with academic performance. This is interpreted through:

• 1.    Attachment Theory (Bowlby, 1969): Emotional support and security provided by mothers enhance self-confidence and learning motivation, positively impacting academic outcomes.

• 2.    Gagnon’s Study (1996): Highlighted mothers’ central role in academic monitoring and fostering independence, aligning with the current findings on maternal influence.

• 3.    Cultural Factors: In Algerian society, mothers are often the primary caregivers, amplifying their educational impact compared to fathers (Shroukh, 2004).

The weak association of paternal styles with academic excellence may stem from:

• • Traditional Fatherhood Roles: As noted by Kellerhas and Montandon (1991), fathers often prioritize financial provision over direct emotional or academic involvement.

Hypothesis 2: There are differences between males and females in their perception of parenting treatment styles.

The results showed no significant differences between males and females in their perception of parenting styles, except for discrimination, control, and inconsistency from the father, where differences favored males. This indicates that males perceive their fathers as more discriminating, controlling, and inconsistent than females do. This finding can be attributed to several factors, including paternal upbringing, lack of awareness about child development, and the nature of parent-child relationships.

Gender     differences     in     males’     perception     of     paternal differential treatment (t=0.627,p<0.05t=0.627,p<0.05), control (t=1.066,p<0.05t=1.066,p<0.05), and inconsistency (t=1.249,p<0.05t=1.249,p<0.05) are explained by:

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• 1.    Socio-Cultural Theory (Bandura, 1977): Males face greater societal pressure to conform to rigid "masculine" roles, increasing sensitivity to paternal restrictive styles.

• 2.    Potvin and Deslandes (1997): Fathers tend to enforce stricter control over sons to prevent deviance, consistent with the study’s results.

• 3.    Differential Socialization: In Arab societies, sons are viewed as "family carriers," prompting heightened paternal scrutiny (Abu Laila, 2002).

• 4.    Mothers as "Psychological Security Sources": Ainsworth (1978) emphasized mothers’ consistent emotional role, transcending gender-based perceptions.

The absence of gender differences in maternal styles aligns with:

Hypothesis 3: There are differences between males and females in their level of academic excellence. The results showed no significant differences between males and females in their level of academic excellence. This finding can be attributed to several factors, including boredom, lack of social connection in the classroom, dissatisfaction with school guidance, and other environmental and personal factors.

No significant differences (t=0.461,p>0.05 t =0.461, p >0.05) between males and females in academic excellence are attributed to:

• 1.    Educational Policy Reforms: As per Al-Khatib (2001), Algeria’s educational reforms promoted gender equity, reducing historical gaps.

• 2.    Achievement Motivation Theory (McClelland, 1961): Females exhibited motivation levels comparable to males, driven by family and societal expectations for empowerment through academic success.

• 3.    Cloutier and Deslandes (2005): Balanced school environments minimize gender-based disparities, supporting the study’s findings.

Discussion

The study's findings align with some previous research, such as Gagnon's (1996), highlighting the mother's critical role in academic monitoring and encouragement. However, the absence of a general relationship between parental treatment styles and academic excellence suggests other influencing factors, such as self-esteem and motivation for achievement. Studies like Sardawi's on personal determinants of academic excellence indicate positive correlations between achievement motivation, self-esteem, and academic excellence.

Conclusion

The study concludes that while certain maternal treatment styles correlate with academic excellence, no general relationship exists between parental treatment styles and academic performance. Additionally, gender differences in perceptions of parental treatment styles were only significant in specific cases, and no significant differences were found in academic excellence levels.

Sci. Educ. Innov. Context Mod. Probl. P-ISSN: 2790-0169 E-ISSN: 2790-0177 Issue 3, Vol. 8, 2025, IMCRA

The interplay of psychological (e.g., maternal emotional support), cultural (e.g., gendered roles), and educational (e.g., policy reforms) factors shapes academic outcomes. These dynamics underscore the need for educational models that integrate societal contexts to foster excellence.