Abstract: Parenting style is widely theorised as a determinant of children's behavioural outcomes, yet evidence on whether authoritative parenting protects against delinquency is not uniform across contexts. This study examined the relationship between authoritative parenting style and children's delinquent behaviour among public primary school children in Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Guided by Baumrind's parenting typology, the study adopted a descriptive survey design with a convergent quantitative-qualitative approach. Data were collected from 242 class seven and eight pupils using a Likert-scale questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and complemented by interviews with 24 teachers and 24 parents. Descriptive statistics showed that children generally perceived their parents as practising authoritative behaviours, most strongly in providing rational direction and guidance (M = 3.88, SD = 1.31) and sharing household responsibilities (M = 3.82, SD = 1.32). However, multiple regression analysis found no statistically significant relationship between authoritative parenting and delinquent behaviour (unstandardised B = -0.017, standardised β = -0.019, t = -0.171, p = .865, 95% CI [-0.213, 0.179]), and the null hypothesis was retained. The direction of the coefficient matched a protective association reported elsewhere, but the effect did not reach significance in this sample. The finding is discussed against a wider literature in which authoritative parenting's protective effect on delinquency is well established in some samples but not detected in others, including recent Malaysian and Kenyan evidence. Implications for parenting interventions and school-based guidance and counselling programmes in Uasin Gishu County are discussed, alongside recommendations for future research with larger and more geographically representative samples.
Keywords: authoritative parenting; children's delinquent behaviour; Baumrind's typology; primary school; Eldoret; Kenya.
Title: The Influence of Authoritative Parenting Style on Delinquent Behaviour among Primary School Children in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
Author: Dr. Margaret Makale Chepgimis, Dr. Florence K'Okul
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 14, Issue 3, July 2026 - September 2026
Page No: 413-420
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 24-September-2026
