Empirical Analysis of the Mediating Role of Self-Efficacy in the Relationship Between Parenting Style and Academic Achievement in Nigerian Secondary Schools

While parenting style and academic achievement are independently associated in the literature, the mechanism through which parenting style influences academic outcomes requires empirical mediation analysis in Nigerian educational contexts where both variables are shaped by cultural and structural factors distinct from Western settings. This study empirically tested the mediating role of academic self-efficacy in the relationship between parenting style and academic achievement among Senior Secondary School students in Oyo and Anambra States, representing the South West and South East zones. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with 520 SS2 students from 16 schools completing the Parental Authority Questionnaire, Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and providing end-of-term academic performance data. Path analysis using structural equation modelling was applied to test the mediation model. Results confirmed that self-efficacy partially mediated the relationship between authoritative parenting and academic achievement (indirect effect = 0.21, 95 percent CI 0.14 to 0.29, p < 0.001). The direct path from authoritative parenting to achievement remained significant after including the mediator, suggesting a partial rather than full mediation model. Authoritarian parenting showed a significant negative indirect effect through self-efficacy (indirect effect = -0.17, 95 percent CI -0.25 to -0.10, p < 0.001). The model explained 41.3 percent of variance in academic achievement. The study fills a mediation analysis gap in Nigerian parenting research and provides evidence that counselling interventions targeting parental style should also specifically address students' academic self-efficacy as an independent intervention target. Keywords: parenting style, self-efficacy, academic achievement, mediation analysis, Nigeria