PARENTAL INDULGENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG PRE-PRIMARY LEARNERS IN KENYA: A MULTIDIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE FROM THARAKA-NITHI COUNTY

Autors/ores

  • Erastus Catherine Ndago PhD Student, Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University, Nairobi, Kenya
  • Hannah Wanjiku Kanga’ra Senior Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya
  • Charles Kiptum Senior Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya
  • Joachim Njagi Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i9.7020

Paraules clau:

parental indulgence, psychological well-being, pre-primary learners, relational indulgence, behavioural indulgence, emotional regulation, Kenya, early childhood development

Resum

Psychological well-being in early childhood provides an important foundation for emotional regulation, self-esteem, anxiety management and social competence. Although parenting is widely recognized as a critical developmental context, empirical evidence from sub-Saharan Africa remains limited regarding how distinct forms of parental indulgence relate to children's psychological functioning. This study examined the relationship between parental indulgence practices and psychological well-being among learners in public pre-primary schools in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. The study was guided by Social Cognitive Theory and Ecological Systems Theory and employed a convergent mixed-methods design within a cross-sectional correlational framework. Quantitative evidence comprised 327 learner observation checklists and eight teacher questionnaires, supplemented by qualitative interviews with parents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation and chi-square analysis, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Behavioural indulgence was the most frequently observed form of parental indulgence (66.1%), followed by relational indulgence (28.7%) and material indulgence (5.2%). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a differentiated pattern of associations. Material indulgence was weakly positively associated with emotional regulation (r = .18, p < .05), self-esteem (r = .24, p < .05) and social skills (r = .15, p < .05), but was not significantly associated with anxiety management (r = −.12, p > .05). Relational indulgence demonstrated moderate-to-strong positive associations with emotional regulation (r = .51, p < .01), self-esteem (r = .57, p < .01), anxiety management (r = .43, p < .01) and social skills (r = .60, p < .01). In contrast, behavioural indulgence was negatively associated with emotional regulation (r = −.33, p < .01), self-esteem (r = −.29, p < .01), anxiety management (r = −.41, p < .01) and social skills (r = −.35, p < .01). The supplementary chi-square analysis based on the eight teacher respondents was not statistically significant, χ²(12) = 13.00, p = .369. The findings indicate that parental indulgence is not a homogeneous parenting practice: relational warmth and emotional availability were positively associated with psychological functioning, whereas behavioural permissiveness was consistently associated with poorer outcomes. The study concludes that early childhood parenting interventions should emphasize a combination of emotional warmth, responsive caregiving and developmentally appropriate behavioural structure rather than treating indulgence as uniformly beneficial or harmful.

Biografies de l'autor/a

  • Erastus Catherine Ndago, PhD Student, Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University, Nairobi, Kenya

    Erastus Catherine Ndago is a PhD candidate in Early Childhood Development and Education at Chuka University. Her academic interests are situated within early childhood education and related educational studies. She is a Part-time Lecturer in the Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development at Chuka University.

  • Hannah Wanjiku Kanga’ra, Senior Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya

    Hannah Wanjiku Kang’ara is a Lecturer in the Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University, Kenya. She holds a PhD in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education. Her research interests include Early Childhood Development and Education, preschool learning, instructional practices, parental participation in early childhood education and the integration of information and communication technology in early childhood teaching and learning. She is a member of the Early Childhood Professional Association of Kenya (ECPAK). Her scholarly work has addressed teachers’ instructional practices, teaching strategies, ICT integration and parents’ socio-economic status and participation in early childhood education programmes.

  • Charles Kiptum, Senior Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya

    Charles Kiptum is a Lecturer in the Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University, Kenya. He holds a DPhil in Educational Administration and Management from Moi University, a Master of Educational Administration and Management from Egerton University, and a Bachelor of Education (Arts) from the Catholic University. His areas of specialization include educational administration and management, instructional leadership and institutional performance. His professional experience includes teaching, school administration and educational leadership, including service as a secondary school principal before joining Chuka University.

  • Joachim Njagi, Lecturer, Dr., Department of Education, Faculty of Education and Resources Development, Chuka University Nairobi, Kenya

    Joachim Njagi is an education researcher affiliated with Chuka University, Kenya, whose scholarship focuses particularly on Early Childhood Development and Education, pedagogy, curriculum implementation, learner development and contemporary educational practices. His doctoral research at Chuka University examined multimodal instructional methods and learners’ environmental conservation competencies in lower primary schools in Tharaka-Nithi County. His research interests also encompass inquiry-based pedagogy, socio-emotional outcomes, curriculum development and innovative approaches to teaching and learning. His work has included research on environmental conservation education and learner outcomes.

Referències

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Descàrregues

Publicat

2026-09-16

Número

Vol. 13 Núm. 9 (2026)

Secció

Articles

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