Exploring upbringing styles of highly resilient students in South Africa: A mixed methods study

Abstract

Parents play a critical role in supporting the development of resilience in childhood and early adolescence. Research into and commitment to resilience is of great importance, as most South Africans lack basic resources. This study investigated the styles of parenting experienced by highly resilient South African students. Participants were 136 South African university students aged 18 to 23 (female = 44.9%, black = 66.9%). They completed the Child and Youth Resilience Measure. Further, six of the highest scoring students participated in in-depth semi-structured interviews on their retrospective parenting experiences. Quantitative analysis showed females had a higher mean resilience score than males. Qualitatively, framework thematic analysis identified the following parenting styles: loving caregiving, and behavioural control. Loving caregiving was expressed through accounts of encouragement, acceptance, and attentive regard. Behavioural control was demonstrated by verbal interactions of discipline, corporal punishment, and curfews. This implies a connection between specific parenting practices and high resilience in students, providing valuable insights for developing programs to boost children's resilience.