The effect of authoritative parenting style on toilet training ability in children aged 3-4 years

Toilet training is an essential developmental process that fosters discipline and independence in early childhood. The acquisition of toileting skills is significantly influenced by parenting approaches. Authoritative (democratic) parenting, characterized by warmth, two-way communication, and clear boundaries, offers supportive guidance during this developmental transition. This study aimed to investigate the effect of an authoritative parenting style on toilet training ability among children aged 3–4 years. A quantitative research design with a correlational approach was employed, involving 206 parents of children aged 3–4 years selected via questionnaire distribution. Data were collected using the adapted Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire-Short Version (PSDQ-SV) and the Toilet Training Readiness Scale (TTRS), and analyzed using binary logistic regression. The results revealed a statistically significant association between authoritative parenting and toilet training outcome (p = .018, p .05), though accounting for a modest proportion of the overall variance. These findings suggest that while authoritative parenting contributes positively to early toilet training progression, consistent parental guidance and child-centered readiness factors remain vital.