Date

1-14-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Patrick Thomas Slowinski

Keywords

Psychology, African American teens, teens, problem-solving skills, biblical knowledge, African American study, Teen study, Parenting styles, authoritative parenting, permissive parenting, authoritarian parenting, Albert study, Diania Study

Disciplines

Counseling | Psychology

Abstract

This quantitative study examined the relationship among parenting styles, the use of biblical principles in parenting, and the problem-solving skills of African American male teenagers aged 14 to 17 years in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, as perceived by their parents or guardians. The study addressed a significant gap in existing literature by integrating biblical teachings with established psychological theories on parenting. The primary theoretical frameworks included Baumrind's parenting styles theory and Bandura's social cognitive theory. Using the Kruskal–Wallis H and chi-square tests, the study assessed the potential relationships among parenting styles, biblical use in parenting, and parent-perceived problem-solving skills of their male teenagers. Results indicated no significant differences in parent-perceived problem-solving skills of the male teenagers across the three parenting styles. Additionally, the study did not find statistically significant differences in parent-perceived problem-solving skills of their male teenagers based on whether parents used biblical principles in parenting or not. The study concluded that neither parenting style nor the use of biblical principles in parenting was associated with parent-perceived problem-solving skills of male teenagers. These findings have important implications for future research, educational practices, and community interventions aimed at improving the cognitive development of African American male adolescents.

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