Abstract
The study examined the perceived influence of authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles on child development outcomes in Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research questions and one null hypothesis. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The target population comprised 885 parents and teachers of primary school children in selected public primary schools in Sokoto State. A sample of 200 respondents, consisting of 100 parents and 100 teachers, was selected using a non-proportionate quota sampling technique followed by simple random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher developed instrument titled Parenting Style and Child Development Questionnaire (PSCDQ). The instrument was validated by three experts, while its reliability was established through a pilot study using Cronbach's alpha, which yielded a reliability coefficient of 0.79. Data were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while the independent samples t test was used to test the hypothesis at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that respondents perceived authoritarian parenting as having a negative influence on children's emotional, social, and psychological development, with an overall mean of 3.39. Similarly, neglectful parenting was perceived to negatively influence children's emotional security, academic performance, sel -esteem, and social relationships, with an overall mean of 3.52. The hypothesis tested showed no statistically significant difference between the mean ratings of parents and teachers regarding the influence of authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles on child development outcomes (t = 1.28, p = .20). The study concluded that respondents perceived authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles as detrimental to healthy child development. It recommended increased parent education programmes and stronger school family collaboration to promote positive parenting practices.