The Protective Shield: Authoritative Parenting as a Predictor of Reduced Anxiety and Depression in Urban Malaysian Adolescents

Abstract

Adolescent mental health has become an increasing public health concern, particularly in rapidly urbanizing societies. Despite growing awareness of psychological distress among adolescents in Malaysia, limited empirical research has examined how parenting styles influence anxiety and depression within urban multicultural contexts. This study examined the predictive relationship between perceived parenting styles and levels of anxiety and depression among adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data were collected from 107 secondary school students aged 13–17 years through stratified random sampling. Parenting styles were measured using the Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), while anxiety and depression were assessed using the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that authoritative parenting significantly predicted lower levels of anxiety (? = –.845, p < .001) and depression (? = –.796, p < .001). These results highlight the protective role of supportive and responsive parenting behaviours in promoting adolescent psychological well-being. The study contributes to the growing literature on adolescent mental health in urban Malaysia and suggests that fostering authoritative parenting practices may serve as an important strategy for reducing psychological distress among adolescents in rapidly changing urban environments.