Relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescent mental health

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Individual factors such as self-confidence and a sense of competence, along with environmental factors such as perceived parenting styles, play a significant role in adolescents’ mental well-being. These considerations highlight the importance of investigating this topic. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the relationships between self-confidence, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr, Iran. Methods : This study employed a descriptive–correlational research design. The statistical population consisted of 1,715 secondary school students in Nowshahr during the 2024–2025 academic year, from which a sample of 317 students was selected via a convenience sampling method. Data were collected via the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Javidan Adolescent Sense of Competence Questionnaire (2015), Grolnick’s Perceived Parenting Scale (1997), and the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) (2006). Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analyses were performed to determine the strength and direction of the relationships among the study variables. Results : The findings indicated that self-confidence and a sense of competence were positively and significantly associated with adolescents’ mental health. Specifically, higher levels of self-confidence (p < 0/05, r = − 0/659) and sense of competence (p < 0/05, r = − 0/592) were related to better psychological well-being. In addition, supportive and participatory parenting styles had a positive effect on adolescents’ mental health (p < 0/05) and were associated with lower levels of psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Adolescents who perceived their parents as using supportive and participatory parenting styles experienced more favourable mental health outcomes. Conclusion : The findings suggest that enhancing adolescents’ self-confidence and sense of competence, along with the adoption of supportive and participatory parenting styles, can contribute to the promotion of adolescents’ mental health and play a preventive role in reducing psychological disorders during this critical developmental period. Therefore, these results may serve as a basis for designing educational and counselling programs in schools and families to improve adolescents’ psychological well-being and prevent mental health problems. Mental health Perceived parenting styles Sense of competence Self-esteem Background Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by extensive psychological experiences and changes, which can have long-term consequences for mental health ( 1 ). During this period, adolescents face numerous challenges, psychological pressures, and environmental changes that may affect their mental health ( 2 ). Therefore, identifying and understanding the factors that contribute to maintaining and promoting adolescents’ mental health is of particular importance. Given that a significant proportion of Iran’s population consists of adolescents and young people, addressing these issues is especially relevant. Adolescents’ mental health is influenced by multiple factors, among which self-esteem is prominent. Self-esteem refers to an individual’s positive belief in their abilities, skills, and judgments, enabling them to engage in tasks, challenges, and social interactions with a sense of competence and efficacy, even under stress or potential failure ( 3 ). Adolescents with high self-esteem generally experience positive outcomes and respond adaptively to successes and failures. Research has shown that high self-esteem can act as a protective factor against psychological vulnerabilities ( 4 ). Another important psychological variable affecting adolescents’ mental health is their sense of competence. Sense of competence is a psychological construct reflecting an individual’s internal perception of their ability, skill, and effectiveness in accomplishing tasks, achieving goals, and coping with challenges. In other words, it represents the belief that “I am capable of handling this task” and that one possesses the necessary skills to succeed in various situations ( 5 ). A sense of competence is one of the three fundamental psychological needs that promote growth, learning, and psychological well-being. Individuals experience a sense of competence when they gain mastery of skills, make observable progress, and receive positive feedback ( 6 ). A high sense of competence directly contributes to mental health, influencing overall quality of life and psychological functioning. Individuals with a strong sense of competence often trust their abilities, which helps them confront life challenges more effectively ( 7 ). Another factor influencing adolescents’ mental health is parenting style. Parenting refers to consistent patterns of parental behavior that provide a supportive, safe, and structured environment for children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. This process encompasses not only physical care but also emotional support, skill development, discipline, and the transmission of values and beliefs ( 8 ). Parenting practices significantly impact adolescents’ socioemotional health. The quality of the parent–adolescent relationship is the most consistent predictor of adolescents’ social and psychological well-being ( 9 ). Parenting styles contribute to children’s overall development and well-being ( 10 ). Perceived parenting styles refer to the methods and approaches that parents use in raising their children, as interpreted and experienced by children and adolescents ( 11 ). These styles include parents’ behaviors, attitudes, and expectations, which can substantially influence children’s psychological and physical health. The three main parenting styles discussed in the psychology literature are authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive ( 12 ). Authoritative parenting combines warmth and support with reasonable expectations and firm rules, generally leading to positive outcomes for children, including better mental health, higher self-esteem, and greater academic success ( 13 ). Authoritarian parenting is characterized by strict control and rigid rules, with limited attention given to the child’s emotional needs. Parents employing this style tend to have high expectations but provide insufficient support and affection, which is often associated with psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and antisocial behaviors in children ( 14 ). Permissive parenting involves granting children considerable freedom with minimal expectations. This style features low parental control and high warmth, which can result in difficulties such as a lack of responsibility, poor self-regulation, and behavioral problems in children ( 15 ). Adolescents’ success in life is significantly dependent on their mental health and ability to manage and cope with psychological difficulties. Therefore, identifying factors that influence mental health—including self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles—is crucial. Examining these factors can enhance the understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying mental health and provide a foundation for designing preventive and promotive interventions. Given the necessity of this research and the lack of similar studies conducted in Iran, the present study was undertaken to examine the relationships between self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr, Iran. Methods This study aimed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescents’ mental health. Design : The present study employed a descriptive–correlational design. The statistical population consisted of all first-grade secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr (according to the Department of Education) during the 2024–2025 academic year, totaling 1,715 individuals. Setting The first-grade secondary schools in Nowshahr were considered the research setting. Sampling Cluster random sampling was employed. Initially, schools in the city were grouped into three clusters, from which one school was randomly selected. Within each selected school, one grade was randomly chosen, and subsequently, students from that grade were randomly selected as participants. Sample size Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 317 students was selected through cluster random sampling, and they completed the questionnaires. Measurements The questionnaires used in this study included the following: 1. Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire (assessing gender, grade level, and parents’ occupation). 2. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965): This 10-item scale was developed by Rosenberg in 1965. This questionnaire measures a person's positive and negative feelings about themselves. Although the RSES is a single-factor scale, in recent years, emphasis has been placed on the two positive and negative factors on this scale. This scale is scored via several proposed methods, some of which score it as a four-option spectrum (completely agree to completely disagree) and others as two options (I agree and I disagree). The second form of this scale was the Persian version in Iran, which is scored as “I agree” or “I disagree”. This scale is a two-dimensional construct of positive and negative self-images when CFA is used. In addition, five items with positive words on one factor were named “positive self-esteem” (PSE), and five items with negative words on another factor were termed “negative self-esteem” (NSE) (16). The Persian version of this scale was presented in a psychometric study. The maximum likelihood explanatory factor analysis (MLEFA) divided the RSES into two components, positive self-esteem and negative self-esteem, which together explained 50.7% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model fit the observed data well. The resulting subscales exhibited high internal consistency and stability. Research findings have shown that the Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale has acceptable validity and reliability in Iran (17). This scale had adequate internal consistency (coefficient omega= 0.85) in the study by Shaygan et al. 2021. (18) 3. Javidan Adolescent Sense of Competence Questionnaire (2015): This questionnaire was designed in a localized form by Javdan in Iran in 2015 and is based on the individual's level of competence, ability to do things, self-worth, self-care, responsibility, self-knowledge, empathy and philanthropy, and feedback from others. This tool is a pencil-paper scale that has 36 items and a total score. Its score range is from 0--144. A score of 36 or lower indicates a very low sense of competence and is a sign of a personality and psychosocial crisis that requires support and help. A score of 37--71 indicates a low sense of competence. A score of 72 to 107 indicates an average level of competence in adolescents, and a score greater than 108 indicates that the adolescent has an appropriate and good sense of competence. The creator of this test examined and confirmed its validity via content validity and convergent validity with the Cooper Smith Self-Esteem Questionnaire and construct validity. The reliability of the instrument was also reported via Cronbach's alpha, Spearman-Brown and Guttman coefficients of 0.91, 0.89 and 0.88, respectively (19). In the study of Choupani (2022), the reliability of the instrument using Cronbach's alpha was 0.78 (20), and in the study of Alipour et al. (2023), the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.87 (21). 4. Grolnick’s Perceived Parenting Scale (1997): This scale was designed for subjects in their late teens or slightly older and has 42 items. It has 21 items for the mother and 21 items for the father. The items were repeated in two halves for the mother and father, measuring 6 subscales. The questionnaire questions were answered on a seven-point Likert scale, and the subjects reported their level of agreement or disagreement with each item. In this continuum, the number 1 indicates complete disagreement, the number 7 indicates complete agreement, and the number 4 indicates the middle. The lowest and highest scores that each individual can obtain on this scale are 42 and 294, respectively. This scale included the subscales of maternal involvement, paternal involvement, maternal support for autonomy, paternal support for autonomy, maternal warmth, and paternal warmth. The reliability of this scale in the original source using Cronbach's alpha is between 0.79 and 0.86, and in the Persian version, the Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the subscales are 0.87, 0.93, 0.82, 0.88, 0.84, and 0.93, respectively, and for the entire scale, it is 0.83(22). 5. Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) (2006): This questionnaire is available in a full 47-item version and a short 25-item version, scored on a four-point Likert scale. The present study used the 47-item version. The results of the study by Klaufus et al. (2020). showed that this scale has sufficient structural validity (CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.03, SRMR = 0.03), internal consistency (alpha = 0.82), test‒retest reliability (ICC = 0.73), and criterion validity (AUC = 0.79) (23). Kösters et al. (2015) reported that the RCADS is a reliable and valid instrument. The original 6-factor structure was replicated to a fair extent in the present study (RMSEA = 0.048), and the internal consistency was good (αs = 0.70--0.96). The ICCs for short-term stability ranged from 0.76--0.86. Girls and children who indicated wishing to participate in a program targeting anxiety and depression had higher RCADS scores. Sensitivity to change analyses revealed that the RCADS can detect changes in anxiety and depression symptoms in children who participate in preventive interventions. The study revealed low agreement between teachers and self-reported internalizing problems, even for children scoring above the 90th percentile of the RCADS, indicating a high level of problems and emphasizing the need to also take child reports into account when screening for anxiety and depression in children (24) . The content validity of all scales was assessed on the basis of expert judgment, and their reliability was validated via internal consistency via Cronbach’s alpha (self-esteem α=0/72; sense of competence α= 0/77; maternal involvement α= 0/72; maternal support for autonomy α= 0/86; maternal warmth α= 0/81; paternal involvement α= 0/71; paternal support for autonomy α= 0/74; paternal warmth α= 0/79; paternal involvement α= 0/88; paternal involvement α= 0/82). Data collection methods After the purpose of the study was explained and the confidentiality of the responses was emphasized, the questionnaires were distributed to the adolescents by the researcher, and the data were subsequently collected. Data analysis Data analysis was performed via SPSS version 27 and included descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) as well as inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis). Ethical considerations To ensure ethical compliance, an official introduction letter was obtained from the authorities of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, to gain access to the schools. Adolescents were assured that their information would remain confidential and that providing their names was not needed. Informed consent was obtained from both the students and their parents for participation in the study. The results of the research were made available to the Nowshahr Department of Education. Results To examine the status of the study variables, descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated for each primary variable. The total sample comprised 317 participants, of whom 174 (54.89%) were male and 143 (11/45) were female. With respect to parental education, most fathers held a high school diploma (135 participants; 59/42), whereas the fewest had an associate degree (19 participants; 99/5%). Most fathers were self-employed (271 participants; 49/85%), and the fewest were retired (15 participants; 73/4%). For mothers, most had a high school diploma (104 participants; 81/32%), and the fewest had less than a high school diploma (33 participants; 41/10%). In terms of maternal occupation, most were homemakers (235 participants; 13/74%), and the fewest were employed in the public sector (24 participants; 57/7%). Before the hypotheses were tested, the assumptions for Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses were examined. The normality of the variable distributions was assessed via skewness and kurtosis indices, which indicated that all the study variables—including self-esteem, sense of competence, perceived parenting styles, and adolescents’ mental health—were within the ±1 range, confirming the normality of the data distribution (Table 1). Table 1. Descriptive Statistics and Normality Indicators of the Study Variables Standard Error (SE) Kurtosis Standard Error (SE) Skewness Variables 0/273 -0/355 0/137 -0/314 Self-Esteem 0/273 -0/195 0/137 -0/050 Sense of Competence 0/273 -0/144 0/137 -0/326 Maternal Involvement 0/273 0/226 0/137 -0/738 Maternal Support for Autonomy 0/273 0/232 0/137 -0/981 Maternal Warmth 0/273 -0/452 0/137 -0/314 Paternal Involvement 0/273 0/537 0/137 -0/432 Paternal Support for Autonomy 0/273 0/167 0/137 -0/938 Paternal Warmth 0/273 0/464 0/137 0/716 Mental Health Additionally, the variance inflation factor (VIF) for the predictor variables ranged from 1/917 to 3/614, which is less than 10, indicating no multicollinearity. The Durbin–Watson statistic for the dependent variable was 2/008, falling within the range of 1/5--2/5, indicating no autocorrelation of residuals. Therefore, the assumptions for using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were satisfied. The results of the Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between self-esteem and adolescents’ mental health (p < 0/05, r = –0/659) (Table 2). Considering that higher scores on the mental health measure reflect greater psychological problems, these findings suggest that increased self-esteem is associated with improved mental health among adolescents. Table 2: Pearson correlation coefficients between self-esteem and adolescents’ mental health Frequency Significance Correlation Coefficient Criterion Variable Predictor Variable 317 0/000 -0/659 Mental Health Self-Esteem Additionally, a significant negative correlation was observed between a sense of competence and adolescents’ mental health (p < 0/05, r = –0/592) (Table 3), indicating that an increase in the sense of competence is associated with improved mental health among adolescents. Table 3: Pearson correlation coefficient between sense of competence and adolescents’ mental health Frequency Significance Correlation Coefficient Criterion Variable Predictor Variable 317 0/000 -0/592 Mental Health Sense of Competence The examination of perceived parenting styles also indicated that all dimensions of both maternal and paternal parenting—including involvement, support for autonomy, and warmth—were significantly negatively correlated with adolescents’ mental health (p < 0/05) (Table 4). These findings suggest that higher-quality parenting styles are associated with improved mental health among adolescents. Table 4: Pearson correlation coefficients between perceived parenting style and adolescents’ mental health Frequency Significance Correlation Coefficient Criterion Variable Predictor Variables 317 0/000 -0/333 Mental Health Maternal Involvement 317 0/000 -0/289 Mental Health Maternal Support for Autonomy 317 0/000 -0/326 Mental Health Maternal Warmth 317 0/000 -0/219 Mental Health Paternal Involvement 317 0/000 -0/251 Mental Health Paternal Support for Autonomy 317 0/012 -0/126 Mental Health Paternal Warmth Multiple regression analysis via the simultaneous entry method indicated that self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles significantly predicted 49/5% of the variance in adolescents’ mental health (p < 0/05, F = 37/706, R² = 0/495) (Table 5). Table 5: Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predicting Adolescents’ Mental Health Based on Self-Esteem, Sense of Competence, and Perceived Parenting Styles Significance df2 df1 Change in F (ΔF) R2 R Predictor Variables Self-Esteem Sense of Competence Maternal Involvement Maternal Support for Autonomy 0/000 308 8 37/706 0/495 0/703 Maternal Warmth Paternal Involvement Paternal Support for Autonomy Paternal Warmth Mental Health An examination of the standardized coefficients indicated that self-esteem, a sense of competence, maternal involvement, paternal support for autonomy, and paternal warmth had significant effects on the prediction of adolescents’ mental health, whereas maternal support for autonomy, maternal warmth, and paternal involvement did not have significant predictive effects (Table 6). Overall, the results suggest that self-esteem, a sense of competence, and the quality of perceived parenting styles play important roles in enhancing adolescents’ mental health. Table 6: Standardized and unstandardized coefficients from simultaneous multiple regression analysis for predicting adolescents’ mental health on the basis of self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles Significance t-Statistic (t) Standardized Coefficient (Beta, β) Standard Error (SE) Unstandardized Coefficient (B) Predictor Variables 0/000 -7/664 -0/449 0/283 -2/171 Self-Esteem 0/000 -4/070 -0/236 0/084 -0/340 Sense of Competence 0/022 -2/311 -0/130 0/236 -0/546 Maternal Involvement 0/665 0/433 0/030 0/173 0/075 Maternal Support for Autonomy 0/831 -0/214 -0/016 0/209 -0/045 Maternal Warmth 0/458 0/743 0/047 0/261 0/194 Paternal Involvement 0/011 -2/571 -0/198 0/191 -0/492 Paternal Support for Autonomy 0/017 -2/405 -0/161 0/205 -0/492 Paternal Warmth Discussion The present study aimed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of first-grade secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr from 2024–2025. The results revealed significant negative associations between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescents’ mental health. This means that higher levels of self-esteem, a sense of competence, and positive parenting components (parental involvement, support for autonomy, and parental warmth) were associated with improved mental health among adolescents. Since higher scores on the mental health scale reflect poorer psychological functioning, lower scores in the presence of these variables indicate enhanced and improved adolescent mental health. The findings revealed that self-esteem was significantly negatively correlated with adolescents’ mental health, which is consistent with the results of Chen D et al. 2025, Lin J et al. 2024, and Moksnes UK et al. 2019. Self-esteem, or the sense of personal worth, is a fundamental human need that influences behavior and decision-making throughout life. This construct plays a particularly important role during adolescence, a period marked by physical and psychological changes, in coping with developmental challenges (25–27). The researcher suggested that enhancing self-worth within the family and school environments, providing opportunities for successful experiences, teaching coping skills, and providing positive feedback can play preventive and supportive roles in promoting adolescents’ mental health. The results also revealed that a sense of competence had a significant negative relationship with mental health, in line with the findings of Han Z et al. (2025), Lee A et al. (2010), and Lei H et al. (2024). A sense of competence refers to an individual’s belief in his or her ability to successfully complete tasks and achieve goals, which enhances self-efficacy, motivation, and goal-directed effort (28–30). The researcher emphasized that providing adolescents with opportunities for successful experiences, assigning age-appropriate responsibilities, encouraging problem-solving, and offering positive feedback from parents and teachers can strengthen their sense of competence and, consequently, improve their mental health. Furthermore, the components of perceived parenting styles—including parental involvement, support for autonomy, and parental warmth—were significantly negatively associated with adolescents’ mental health, indicating that increases in these components are linked to better mental health. These findings are consistent with those of Francis A et al. 2021, Obimakinde AM et al. 2020, and Obimakinde AM et al. 2019. Parental involvement in children’s activities, providing opportunities for input and choice, and emotional responsiveness foster a sense of security, belonging, and self-worth in adolescents (31–33). The researcher suggested that educating parents on positive interactions, respecting children’s autonomy, enhancing emotional support, and creating a warm and participatory environment can directly improve adolescents’ mental health and prevent psychological problems. In addition to bivariate relationships, the study revealed that perceived parenting styles, self-esteem, and sense of competence each significantly contributed to the prediction of adolescents’ mental health, with each variable playing an important role. This finding is in line with the study by Jeong Y et al. 2025 (34). Strengths and limitations Like any study, the present research has several limitations that should be considered when the results are interpreted. First, the large number of questionnaire items (a total of 135 items) was a major limitation. A high volume of questions can lead to participant fatigue, potentially reducing response accuracy and negatively affecting the reliability and validity of the data. To mitigate this, the questionnaires were divided into two or more sections and administered at reasonable time intervals to minimize participant fatigue and associated errors. Second, the use of self-report instruments as the primary data collection method may increase response bias, as participants might consciously or unconsciously present themselves in a more favourable or unfavourable manner, which could somewhat reduce the accuracy of the findings. Third, low cooperation from some school staff and administrators during the initial stages of the study posed a challenge, which was largely alleviated through detailed explanations of the study’s purpose and significance but still affected the implementation process. Finally, the inability to control for confounding and intervening variables—such as differences in adolescents’ motivation and willingness to participate and complete the instruments—could influence data quality. These considerations highlight the need to interpret the findings with caution. Future research could benefit from multisource data collection and more rigorous control of data-gathering conditions to increase the accuracy of the results. Researchers believe that these three variables act synergistically to improve adolescents’ mental health. The simultaneous enhancement of these factors—through individual skills training (boosting self-esteem and a sense of competence) and increasing parental awareness of positive parenting styles—can maximize the effectiveness of mental health interventions. On the basis of the findings and limitations of the present study, it is recommended that, first, to improve data collection accuracy—particularly for sensitive variables such as self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles, which are linked to other personality and psychological traits—complementary methods such as structured or semistructured interviews should be used alongside self-report questionnaires. Second, conducting similar studies across different age and educational groups—including second-grade secondary school adolescents, primary school students (grades 1 and 2), gifted and exceptional students, and university students in other cities—can facilitate more precise generalization of the results and the design of tailored educational programs to promote mental health. Finally, given the potential for gender differences in many personality and psychological traits, future researchers are encouraged to conduct causal‒comparative studies examining and comparing the relationships between self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles with the mental health of female and male adolescents, enabling the development of targeted, gender-sensitive interventions. Conclusion Given that higher scores on the employed mental health scale indicate poorer psychological functioning, it can be concluded that increases in self-esteem, a sense of competence, and improvements in the aforementioned parenting styles are associated with enhanced mental health among adolescents. Furthermore, the predictor analysis demonstrated that these three variables play a significant role in predicting adolescents’ mental health and can simultaneously account for a substantial portion of the variance. On the basis of these findings, counselors, clinical psychologists, and therapists can design workshops and educational programs aimed at enhancing adolescents’ self-esteem and sense of competence, as well as strengthening parental involvement, support for autonomy, and warmth, thereby fostering improved mental health in this age group. Additionally, families, school administrators, and policymakers in the family and educational sectors should recognize the key role of these variables and develop preventive programs and educational or parenting interventions to effectively promote adolescents’ mental health. Declarations Acknowledgements This study is derived from a Master’s thesis in Clinical Psychology at Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Research Vice-Presidency of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, for their support in conducting this study. Author contributions Khadijeh Hatamipour and Nilofar Niazi participated in the conceptualization of this study. Nilofar Niazi participated in the management of data collection. Khadijeh Hatamipour and Nilofar Niazi managed the data analysis. Hoora Nabizadeh participated in writing and approving the original draft of the manuscript. Funding This study did not receive any financial support. Data availability The data of this study will be available by email to Nilofar Niazi. Ethical approval The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, with the ethics code IR.IAU.TON.REC.1403. 023. Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Abbreviations Not applicable References Booth C, Songco A, Parsons S, Heathcote LC, Fox E. 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Structure, reliability, and validity of the revised child anxiety and depression scale (RCADS) in a multiethnic urban sample of Dutch children. BMC Psychiatry. 2015;15(132):1–8. 10.1186/s12888-015-0509-7 . Chen D, Zhang Q, Yu S, Chong ZY, Xu W. Longitudinal Relations Between Adolescent Self-Esteem and Mental Health Concerns: The Mediation of Self‐Control and Moderation of Parental Autonomy Support. J Adolesc. 2025;97(3):840–9. Lin J, Guo W. The research on risk factors for adolescents’ mental health. Behav Sci. 2024;14(4):263. Moksnes UK, Reidunsdatter RJ. Self-esteem and mental health in adolescents–level and stability during a school year. Norsk Epidemiol. 2019;28:1–2. Han Z, Chen S, Zhou Y, Liu Y, Guo C. The longitudinal relationship between self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents: Within-and between-person effects. Behav Sci. 2025;15(2):182. Lee A, Hankin BL, Mermelstein RJ. Perceived social competence, negative social interactions, and negative cognitive style predict depressive symptoms during adolescence. J Clin child Adolesc Psychol. 2010;39(5):603–15. Lei H, Xiong J, Rao Y, Zhu T, Zhang X. Relationships among self-esteem, depression and self-injury in adolescents: a longitudinal study. Front public health. 2024;12:1406283. Francis A, Pai MS, Badagabettu S. Psychological well-being and perceived parenting style among adolescents. Compr child Adolesc Nurs. 2021;44(2):134–43. Obimakinde AM, Omigbodun O. The association between identity status, perceived parenting strategies, and mental health of in-school adolescents in South–West Nigeria: A descriptive survey. J Mental Health Hum Behav. 2020;25(1):21–6. Obimakinde AM, Omigbodun O, Adejumo O, Adedokun B. Parenting styles and sociodemographic dynamics associated with mental health of in-school adolescents in Ibadan, south–west Nigeria. J Child Adolesc Mental Health. 2019;31(2):109–24. Jeong Y, Jang S. Mediating Role of Parental Support in the Relationship Between Immigrant Mothers’ Mental Health and Adolescents’ Self-Esteem. Children. 2025;12(6):677. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7743784","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":566564363,"identity":"277f549e-4fbf-415b-a9cb-0026471bdbe8","order_by":0,"name":"Khadijeh Hatamipour","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Department of Nursing, To.C., Islamic Azad University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Khadijeh","middleName":"","lastName":"Hatamipour","suffix":""},{"id":566564364,"identity":"ef623310-d15e-42b5-a5c5-60c938df7b63","order_by":1,"name":"Niloofar Niazi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Department of Psychology, To.C., Islamic Azad University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Niloofar","middleName":"","lastName":"Niazi","suffix":""},{"id":566564365,"identity":"ca3d5ad8-5996-440a-a515-ecbb6873bbf0","order_by":2,"name":"Hoora Nabizadeh","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAziDGUjwMByQYwPxEkjRYkyCFgaIlsQGQg4zZ28+9uEHwx15c3b2hx/eVNxJ72M/Y8DwcA9uLZY9x5Jn9jA8M9zZzJAsOefMs9w2nhwDhoRneBx2I8cY6J7DjBsOMxyQ5m07nNvGANJyAL8Wxj8Mh+03HGZs/s3773A6G/8bwlqYgbYkbjjMzCbN23A4gU2CkC1njiUzyxgcTt7ZzMZmOefYYcM2iWcFB/BqOd58mPFNxWHb7fzHH994U3NYXr4/eePDH3i0QDWi8QlqGAWjYBSMglGAHwAACbRTlshRYYUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Department of Psychology, To.C., Islamic Azad University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hoora","middleName":"","lastName":"Nabizadeh","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-09-29 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07:59:17","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1138356,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7743784/v1/68a33c19-f3fc-4317-9b8e-eef9754465ba.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescent mental health","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eAdolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by extensive psychological experiences and changes, which can have long-term consequences for mental health (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e). During this period, adolescents face numerous challenges, psychological pressures, and environmental changes that may affect their mental health (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). Therefore, identifying and understanding the factors that contribute to maintaining and promoting adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health is of particular importance. Given that a significant proportion of Iran\u0026rsquo;s population consists of adolescents and young people, addressing these issues is especially relevant.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health is influenced by multiple factors, among which self-esteem is prominent. Self-esteem refers to an individual\u0026rsquo;s positive belief in their abilities, skills, and judgments, enabling them to engage in tasks, challenges, and social interactions with a sense of competence and efficacy, even under stress or potential failure (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). Adolescents with high self-esteem generally experience positive outcomes and respond adaptively to successes and failures. Research has shown that high self-esteem can act as a protective factor against psychological vulnerabilities (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother important psychological variable affecting adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health is their sense of competence. Sense of competence is a psychological construct reflecting an individual\u0026rsquo;s internal perception of their ability, skill, and effectiveness in accomplishing tasks, achieving goals, and coping with challenges. In other words, it represents the belief that \u0026ldquo;I am capable of handling this task\u0026rdquo; and that one possesses the necessary skills to succeed in various situations (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e). A sense of competence is one of the three fundamental psychological needs that promote growth, learning, and psychological well-being. Individuals experience a sense of competence when they gain mastery of skills, make observable progress, and receive positive feedback (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). A high sense of competence directly contributes to mental health, influencing overall quality of life and psychological functioning. Individuals with a strong sense of competence often trust their abilities, which helps them confront life challenges more effectively (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnother factor influencing adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health is parenting style. Parenting refers to consistent patterns of parental behavior that provide a supportive, safe, and structured environment for children\u0026rsquo;s emotional, social, and cognitive development. This process encompasses not only physical care but also emotional support, skill development, discipline, and the transmission of values and beliefs (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e). Parenting practices significantly impact adolescents\u0026rsquo; socioemotional health. The quality of the parent\u0026ndash;adolescent relationship is the most consistent predictor of adolescents\u0026rsquo; social and psychological well-being (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e). Parenting styles contribute to children\u0026rsquo;s overall development and well-being (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePerceived parenting styles refer to the methods and approaches that parents use in raising their children, as interpreted and experienced by children and adolescents (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e). These styles include parents\u0026rsquo; behaviors, attitudes, and expectations, which can substantially influence children\u0026rsquo;s psychological and physical health. The three main parenting styles discussed in the psychology literature are authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAuthoritative parenting combines warmth and support with reasonable expectations and firm rules, generally leading to positive outcomes for children, including better mental health, higher self-esteem, and greater academic success (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e). Authoritarian parenting is characterized by strict control and rigid rules, with limited attention given to the child\u0026rsquo;s emotional needs. Parents employing this style tend to have high expectations but provide insufficient support and affection, which is often associated with psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and antisocial behaviors in children (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e). Permissive parenting involves granting children considerable freedom with minimal expectations. This style features low parental control and high warmth, which can result in difficulties such as a lack of responsibility, poor self-regulation, and behavioral problems in children (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdolescents\u0026rsquo; success in life is significantly dependent on their mental health and ability to manage and cope with psychological difficulties. Therefore, identifying factors that influence mental health\u0026mdash;including self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles\u0026mdash;is crucial. Examining these factors can enhance the understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying mental health and provide a foundation for designing preventive and promotive interventions. Given the necessity of this research and the lack of similar studies conducted in Iran, the present study was undertaken to examine the relationships between self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr, Iran.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e:\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003eThe present study employed a descriptive\u0026ndash;correlational design. The statistical population consisted of all first-grade secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr (according to the Department of Education) during the 2024\u0026ndash;2025 academic year, totaling 1,715 individuals.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSetting\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first-grade secondary schools in Nowshahr were considered the research setting.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSampling\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCluster random sampling was employed. Initially, schools in the city were grouped into three clusters, from which one school was randomly selected. Within each selected school, one grade was randomly chosen, and subsequently, students from that grade were randomly selected as participants.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSample size\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing Cochran\u0026rsquo;s formula, a sample of 317 students was selected through cluster random sampling, and they completed the questionnaires.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeasurements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe questionnaires used in this study included the following:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e1. Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire (assessing gender, grade level, and parents\u0026rsquo; occupation).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2. Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965): This 10-item scale was developed by Rosenberg in 1965. This questionnaire measures a person\u0026apos;s positive and negative feelings about themselves. Although the RSES is a single-factor scale, in recent years, emphasis has been placed on the two positive and negative factors on this scale. This scale is scored via several proposed methods, some of which score it as a four-option spectrum (completely agree to completely disagree) and others as two options (I agree and I disagree). The second form of this scale was the Persian version in Iran, which is scored as \u0026ldquo;I agree\u0026rdquo; or \u0026ldquo;I disagree\u0026rdquo;. This scale is a two-dimensional construct of positive and negative self-images when CFA is used. In addition, five items with positive words on one factor were named \u0026ldquo;positive self-esteem\u0026rdquo; (PSE), and five items with negative words on another factor were termed \u0026ldquo;negative self-esteem\u0026rdquo; (NSE) (16). The Persian version of this scale was presented in a psychometric study. The maximum likelihood explanatory factor analysis (MLEFA) divided the RSES into two components, positive self-esteem and negative self-esteem, which together explained 50.7% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model fit the observed data well. The resulting subscales exhibited high internal consistency and stability. Research findings have shown that the Persian version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale has acceptable validity and reliability in Iran (17). This scale had adequate internal consistency (coefficient omega= 0.85) in the study by Shaygan et al. 2021. (18)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e3. Javidan Adolescent Sense of Competence Questionnaire (2015):\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis questionnaire was designed in a localized form by Javdan in Iran in 2015 and is based on the individual\u0026apos;s level of competence, ability to do things, self-worth, self-care, responsibility, self-knowledge, empathy and philanthropy, and feedback from others. This tool is a pencil-paper scale that has 36 items and a total score. Its score range is from 0--144. A score of 36 or lower indicates a very low sense of competence and is a sign of a personality and psychosocial crisis that requires support and help. A score of 37--71 indicates a low sense of competence. A score of 72 to 107 indicates an average level of competence in adolescents, and a score greater than 108 indicates that the adolescent has an appropriate and good sense of competence. The creator of this test examined and confirmed its validity via content validity and convergent validity with the Cooper Smith Self-Esteem Questionnaire and construct validity. The reliability of the instrument was also reported via Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha, Spearman-Brown and Guttman coefficients of 0.91, 0.89 and 0.88, respectively (19). In the study of Choupani (2022), the reliability of the instrument using Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha was 0.78 (20), and in the study of Alipour et al. (2023), the Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha coefficient was 0.87 (21).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e4. Grolnick\u0026rsquo;s Perceived Parenting Scale (1997): This scale was designed for subjects in their late teens or slightly older and has 42 items. It has 21 items for the mother and 21 items for the father. The items were repeated in two halves for the mother and father, measuring 6 subscales. The questionnaire questions were answered on a seven-point Likert scale, and the subjects reported their level of agreement or disagreement with each item. In this continuum, the number 1 indicates complete disagreement, the number 7 indicates complete agreement, and the number 4 indicates the middle. The lowest and highest scores that each individual can obtain on this scale are 42 and 294, respectively. This scale included the subscales of maternal involvement, paternal involvement, maternal support for autonomy, paternal support for autonomy, maternal warmth, and paternal warmth. The reliability of this scale in the original source using Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha is between 0.79 and 0.86, and in the Persian version, the Cronbach\u0026apos;s alpha coefficients for the subscales are 0.87, 0.93, 0.82, 0.88, 0.84, and 0.93, respectively, and for the entire scale, it is 0.83(22).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e5. Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) (2006): This questionnaire is available in a full 47-item version and a short 25-item version, scored on a four-point Likert scale. The present study used the 47-item version. The results of the study by Klaufus et al. (2020). showed that this scale has sufficient structural validity (CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.98, TLI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.99, RMSEA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.03, SRMR\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.03), internal consistency (alpha\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.82), test‒retest reliability (ICC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.73), and criterion validity (AUC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.79) (23). K\u0026ouml;sters et al. (2015) reported that the RCADS is a reliable and valid instrument. The original 6-factor structure was replicated to a fair extent in the present study (RMSEA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.048), and the internal consistency was good (\u0026alpha;s\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.70--0.96). The ICCs for short-term stability ranged from 0.76--0.86. Girls and children who indicated wishing to participate in a program targeting anxiety and depression had higher RCADS scores. Sensitivity to change analyses revealed that the RCADS can detect changes in anxiety and depression symptoms in children who participate in preventive interventions. The study revealed low agreement between teachers and self-reported internalizing problems, even for children scoring above the 90th percentile of the RCADS, indicating a high level of problems and emphasizing the need to also take child reports into account when screening for anxiety and depression in children (24)\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe content validity of all scales was assessed on the basis of expert judgment, and their reliability was validated via internal consistency via Cronbach\u0026rsquo;s alpha (self-esteem \u0026alpha;=0/72; sense of competence \u0026alpha;= 0/77; maternal involvement \u0026alpha;= 0/72; maternal support for autonomy \u0026alpha;= 0/86; maternal warmth \u0026alpha;= 0/81; paternal involvement \u0026alpha;= 0/71; paternal support for autonomy \u0026alpha;= 0/74; paternal warmth \u0026alpha;= 0/79; paternal involvement \u0026alpha;= 0/88; paternal involvement \u0026alpha;= 0/82).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData collection methods\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the purpose of the study was explained and the confidentiality of the responses was emphasized, the questionnaires were distributed to the adolescents by the researcher, and the data were subsequently collected.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData analysis\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData analysis was performed via SPSS version 27 and included descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) as well as inferential statistics (Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation coefficient and regression analysis).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical considerations\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo ensure ethical compliance, an official introduction letter was obtained from the authorities of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, to gain access to the schools. Adolescents were assured that their information would remain confidential and that providing their names was not needed. Informed consent was obtained from both the students and their parents for participation in the study. The results of the research were made available to the Nowshahr Department of Education.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eTo examine the status of the study variables, descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations, were calculated for each primary variable. The total sample comprised 317 participants, of whom 174 (54.89%) were male and 143 (11/45) were female. With respect to parental education, most fathers held a high school diploma (135 participants; 59/42), whereas the fewest had an associate degree (19 participants; 99/5%). Most fathers were self-employed (271 participants; 49/85%), and the fewest were retired (15 participants; 73/4%). For mothers, most had a high school diploma (104 participants; 81/32%), and the fewest had less than a high school diploma (33 participants; 41/10%). In terms of maternal occupation, most were homemakers (235 participants; 13/74%), and the fewest were employed in the public sector (24 participants; 57/7%).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore the hypotheses were tested, the assumptions for Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation and multiple regression analyses were examined. The normality of the variable distributions was assessed via skewness and kurtosis indices, which indicated that all the study variables\u0026mdash;including self-esteem, sense of competence, perceived parenting styles, and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health\u0026mdash;were within the \u0026plusmn;1 range, confirming the normality of the data distribution (Table 1).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eTable 1. Descriptive Statistics and Normality Indicators of the Study Variables\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\n \u003ctable dir=\"rtl\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eStandard Error (SE)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eKurtosis\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eStandard Error (SE)\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSkewness\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eVariables\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/355\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/314\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/195\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/050\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSense of Competence\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/144\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/326\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Involvement\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/226\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/738\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/232\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/981\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Warmth\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/452\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/314\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Involvement\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/537\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/432\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/167\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/938\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Warmth\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/273\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/464\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/137\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/716\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;Additionally, the variance inflation factor (VIF) for the predictor variables ranged from 1/917 to 3/614, which is less than 10, indicating no multicollinearity. The Durbin\u0026ndash;Watson statistic for the dependent variable was 2/008, falling within the range of 1/5--2/5, indicating no autocorrelation of residuals. Therefore, the assumptions for using Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis were satisfied.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results of the Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between self-esteem and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health (p \u0026lt; 0/05, r = \u0026ndash;0/659) (Table 2). Considering that higher scores on the mental health measure reflect greater psychological problems, these findings suggest that increased self-esteem is associated with improved mental health among adolescents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"\"\u003eTable 2: Pearson correlation coefficients between self-esteem and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ctable dir=\"rtl\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eFrequency\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.1331%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSignificance\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eCriterion Variable\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePredictor Variable\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e317\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.1331%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/659\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n\u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eAdditionally, a significant negative correlation was observed between a sense of competence and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health (p \u0026lt; 0/05, r = \u0026ndash;0/592) (Table 3), indicating that an increase in the sense of competence is associated with improved mental health among adolescents.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eTable 3: Pearson correlation coefficient between sense of competence and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ctable dir=\"rtl\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eFrequency\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.0997%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSignificance\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eCriterion Variable\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.0997%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePredictor Variable\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e317\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.0997%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/592\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 19.9336%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20.0997%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSense of Competence\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe examination of perceived parenting styles also indicated that all dimensions of both maternal and paternal parenting\u0026mdash;including involvement, support for autonomy, and warmth\u0026mdash;were significantly negatively correlated with adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health (p \u0026lt; 0/05) (Table 4). These findings suggest that higher-quality parenting styles are associated with improved mental health among adolescents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 4: Pearson correlation coefficients between perceived parenting style and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\n \u003ctable dir=\"rtl\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequency\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSignificance\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCorrelation Coefficient\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCriterion Variable\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePredictor Variables\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/333\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/289\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/326\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/219\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/000\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/251\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e317\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/012\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/126\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 20%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMultiple regression analysis via the simultaneous entry method indicated that self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles significantly predicted 49/5% of the variance in adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health (p \u0026lt; 0/05, F = 37/706, R\u0026sup2; = 0/495) (Table 5).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 5: Simultaneous Multiple Regression Analysis for Predicting Adolescents\u0026rsquo; Mental Health Based on Self-Esteem, Sense of Competence, and Perceived Parenting Styles\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ctable dir=\"\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSignificance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edf2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003edf1\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eChange in F (\u0026Delta;F)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eR2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eR\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePredictor Variables\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSense of Competence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/000\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e308\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e37/706\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/495\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/703\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cspan dir=\"RTL\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 14.2857%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMental Health\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn examination of the standardized coefficients indicated that self-esteem, a sense of competence, maternal involvement, paternal support for autonomy, and paternal warmth had significant effects on the prediction of adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health, whereas maternal support for autonomy, maternal warmth, and paternal involvement did not have significant predictive effects (Table 6). Overall, the results suggest that self-esteem, a sense of competence, and the quality of perceived parenting styles play important roles in enhancing adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTable 6: Standardized and unstandardized coefficients from simultaneous multiple regression analysis for predicting adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health on the basis of self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv align=\"right\"\u003e\n \u003ctable dir=\"rtl\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\"\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSignificance\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003et-Statistic (t)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandardized Coefficient (Beta, \u0026beta;)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStandard Error (SE)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnstandardized Coefficient (B)\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePredictor Variables\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/000\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-7/664\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/449\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/283\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-2/171\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSelf-Esteem\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/000\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-4/070\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/236\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/084\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/340\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eSense of Competence\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/022\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-2/311\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/130\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/236\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/546\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/665\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/433\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/030\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/173\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/075\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/831\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/214\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/016\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/209\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/045\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003eMaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/458\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/743\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/047\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/261\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/194\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Involvement\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/011\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-2/571\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/198\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/191\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/492\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Support for Autonomy\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e0/017\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-2/405\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/161\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e0/205\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003e-0/492\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd valign=\"top\" style=\"width: 16.6667%;\"\u003e\n \u003cp dir=\"LTR\"\u003ePaternal Warmth\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study aimed to examine the relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of first-grade secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr from 2024\u0026ndash;2025. The results revealed significant negative associations between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health. This means that higher levels of self-esteem, a sense of competence, and positive parenting components (parental involvement, support for autonomy, and parental warmth) were associated with improved mental health among adolescents. Since higher scores on the mental health scale reflect poorer psychological functioning, lower scores in the presence of these variables indicate enhanced and improved adolescent mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe findings revealed that self-esteem was significantly negatively correlated with adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health, which is consistent with the results of Chen D et al. 2025, Lin J et al. 2024, and Moksnes UK et al. 2019. Self-esteem, or the sense of personal worth, is a fundamental human need that influences behavior and decision-making throughout life. This construct plays a particularly important role during adolescence, a period marked by physical and psychological changes, in coping with developmental challenges (25\u0026ndash;27). The researcher suggested that enhancing self-worth within the family and school environments, providing opportunities for successful experiences, teaching coping skills, and providing positive feedback can play preventive and supportive roles in promoting adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results also revealed that a sense of competence had a significant negative relationship with mental health, in line with the findings of Han Z et al. (2025), Lee A et al. (2010), and Lei H et al. (2024). A sense of competence refers to an individual\u0026rsquo;s belief in his or her ability to successfully complete tasks and achieve goals, which enhances self-efficacy, motivation, and goal-directed effort (28\u0026ndash;30). The researcher emphasized that providing adolescents with opportunities for successful experiences, assigning age-appropriate responsibilities, encouraging problem-solving, and offering positive feedback from parents and teachers can strengthen their sense of competence and, consequently, improve their mental health.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, the components of perceived parenting styles\u0026mdash;including parental involvement, support for autonomy, and parental warmth\u0026mdash;were significantly negatively associated with adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health, indicating that increases in these components are linked to better mental health. These findings are consistent with those of Francis A et al. 2021, Obimakinde AM et al. 2020, and Obimakinde AM et al. 2019. Parental involvement in children\u0026rsquo;s activities, providing opportunities for input and choice, and emotional responsiveness foster a sense of security, belonging, and self-worth in adolescents (31\u0026ndash;33). The researcher suggested that educating parents on positive interactions, respecting children\u0026rsquo;s autonomy, enhancing emotional support, and creating a warm and participatory environment can directly improve adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health and prevent psychological problems.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn addition to bivariate relationships, the study revealed that perceived parenting styles, self-esteem, and sense of competence each significantly contributed to the prediction of adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health, with each variable playing an important role. This finding is in line with the study by Jeong Y et al. 2025 (34).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStrengths and limitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLike any study, the present research has several limitations that should be considered when the results are interpreted. First, the large number of questionnaire items (a total of 135 items) was a major limitation. A high volume of questions can lead to participant fatigue, potentially reducing response accuracy and negatively affecting the reliability and validity of the data. To mitigate this, the questionnaires were divided into two or more sections and administered at reasonable time intervals to minimize participant fatigue and associated errors. Second, the use of self-report instruments as the primary data collection method may increase response bias, as participants might consciously or unconsciously present themselves in a more favourable or unfavourable manner, which could somewhat reduce the accuracy of the findings. Third, low cooperation from some school staff and administrators during the initial stages of the study posed a challenge, which was largely alleviated through detailed explanations of the study\u0026rsquo;s purpose and significance but still affected the implementation process. Finally, the inability to control for confounding and intervening variables\u0026mdash;such as differences in adolescents\u0026rsquo; motivation and willingness to participate and complete the instruments\u0026mdash;could influence data quality. These considerations highlight the need to interpret the findings with caution. Future research could benefit from multisource data collection and more rigorous control of data-gathering conditions to increase the accuracy of the results.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearchers believe that these three variables act synergistically to improve adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health. The simultaneous enhancement of these factors\u0026mdash;through individual skills training (boosting self-esteem and a sense of competence) and increasing parental awareness of positive parenting styles\u0026mdash;can maximize the effectiveness of mental health interventions. On the basis of the findings and limitations of the present study, it is recommended that, first, to improve data collection accuracy\u0026mdash;particularly for sensitive variables such as self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles, which are linked to other personality and psychological traits\u0026mdash;complementary methods such as structured or semistructured interviews should be used alongside self-report questionnaires. Second, conducting similar studies across different age and educational groups\u0026mdash;including second-grade secondary school adolescents, primary school students (grades 1 and 2), gifted and exceptional students, and university students in other cities\u0026mdash;can facilitate more precise generalization of the results and the design of tailored educational programs to promote mental health. Finally, given the potential for gender differences in many personality and psychological traits, future researchers are encouraged to conduct causal‒comparative studies examining and comparing the relationships between self-esteem, sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles with the mental health of female and male adolescents, enabling the development of targeted, gender-sensitive interventions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eGiven that higher scores on the employed mental health scale indicate poorer psychological functioning, it can be concluded that increases in self-esteem, a sense of competence, and improvements in the aforementioned parenting styles are associated with enhanced mental health among adolescents. Furthermore, the predictor analysis demonstrated that these three variables play a significant role in predicting adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health and can simultaneously account for a substantial portion of the variance. On the basis of these findings, counselors, clinical psychologists, and therapists can design workshops and educational programs aimed at enhancing adolescents\u0026rsquo; self-esteem and sense of competence, as well as strengthening parental involvement, support for autonomy, and warmth, thereby fostering improved mental health in this age group. Additionally, families, school administrators, and policymakers in the family and educational sectors should recognize the key role of these variables and develop preventive programs and educational or parenting interventions to effectively promote adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study is derived from a Master\u0026rsquo;s thesis in Clinical Psychology at Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Research Vice-Presidency of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, for their support in conducting this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKhadijeh Hatamipour and Nilofar Niazi participated in the conceptualization of this study. Nilofar Niazi participated in the management of data collection. Khadijeh Hatamipour and Nilofar Niazi managed the data analysis. Hoora Nabizadeh participated in writing and approving the original draft of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study did not receive any financial support.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data of this study will be available by email to Nilofar Niazi.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthical approval\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, with the ethics code IR.IAU.TON.REC.1403. 023. Informed consent was obtained from all participants involved in the study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u0026nbsp;Not applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAbbreviations\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBooth C, Songco A, Parsons S, Heathcote LC, Fox E. The CogBIAS longitudinal study of adolescence: Cohort profile and stability and change in measures across three waves. BMC Psychol. 2019;7(1):73.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBarzilay R, Michel N. Understanding Adolescent Mental Health Disparities Through the Lens of Environmental Stress Exposure. 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Perceived social competence, negative social interactions, and negative cognitive style predict depressive symptoms during adolescence. J Clin child Adolesc Psychol. 2010;39(5):603\u0026ndash;15.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLei H, Xiong J, Rao Y, Zhu T, Zhang X. Relationships among self-esteem, depression and self-injury in adolescents: a longitudinal study. Front public health. 2024;12:1406283.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrancis A, Pai MS, Badagabettu S. Psychological well-being and perceived parenting style among adolescents. Compr child Adolesc Nurs. 2021;44(2):134\u0026ndash;43.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eObimakinde AM, Omigbodun O. The association between identity status, perceived parenting strategies, and mental health of in-school adolescents in South\u0026ndash;West Nigeria: A descriptive survey. J Mental Health Hum Behav. 2020;25(1):21\u0026ndash;6.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eObimakinde AM, Omigbodun O, Adejumo O, Adedokun B. Parenting styles and sociodemographic dynamics associated with mental health of in-school adolescents in Ibadan, south\u0026ndash;west Nigeria. J Child Adolesc Mental Health. 2019;31(2):109\u0026ndash;24.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJeong Y, Jang S. Mediating Role of Parental Support in the Relationship Between Immigrant Mothers\u0026rsquo; Mental Health and Adolescents\u0026rsquo; Self-Esteem. Children. 2025;12(6):677.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Mental health, Perceived parenting styles, Sense of competence, Self-esteem","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7743784/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7743784/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIntroduction\u003c/strong\u003e: Adolescence is a critical developmental stage characterized by numerous psychological and physical changes that influence mental health. Individual factors such as self-confidence and a sense of competence, along with environmental factors such as perceived parenting styles, play a significant role in adolescents’ mental well-being. These considerations highlight the importance of investigating this topic. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the relationships between self-confidence, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and the mental health of secondary school adolescents in Nowshahr, Iran.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods\u003c/strong\u003e: This study employed a descriptive–correlational research design. The statistical population consisted of 1,715 secondary school students in Nowshahr during the 2024–2025 academic year, from which a sample of 317 students was selected via a convenience sampling method. Data were collected via the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (1965), the Javidan Adolescent Sense of Competence Questionnaire (2015), Grolnick’s Perceived Parenting Scale (1997), and the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) (2006). Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analyses were performed to determine the strength and direction of the relationships among the study variables.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults\u003c/strong\u003e: The findings indicated that self-confidence and a sense of competence were positively and significantly associated with adolescents’ mental health. Specifically, higher levels of self-confidence (p \u0026lt; 0/05, r = − 0/659) and sense of competence (p \u0026lt; 0/05, r = − 0/592) were related to better psychological well-being. In addition, supportive and participatory parenting styles had a positive effect on adolescents’ mental health (p \u0026lt; 0/05) and were associated with lower levels of psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. Adolescents who perceived their parents as using supportive and participatory parenting styles experienced more favourable mental health outcomes.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion\u003c/strong\u003e: The findings suggest that enhancing adolescents’ self-confidence and sense of competence, along with the adoption of supportive and participatory parenting styles, can contribute to the promotion of adolescents’ mental health and play a preventive role in reducing psychological disorders during this critical developmental period. Therefore, these results may serve as a basis for designing educational and counselling programs in schools and families to improve adolescents’ psychological well-being and prevent mental health problems.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Relationships between self-esteem, a sense of competence, and perceived parenting styles and adolescent mental health","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-29 10:39:33","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7743784/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"358e7e51-5c7b-426e-8fa2-26575370d2a0","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 29th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-14T04:09:04+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-29 10:39:33","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7743784","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7743784","identity":"rs-7743784","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}