Parent-Child Relationships at Home in Ghana: Areas of Disagreement and Contributing Factors

This study examines the prevalence, key domains, and underlying drivers of parent-child disagreements in Ghana, with the aim of enhancing understanding of family interaction dynamics in a low- and middle-income context. Employing a cross-sectional, convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the study analyzed quantitative data from 5024 children aged 8-17, obtained from Ghana's Department of Children, alongside key informant interviews (KIIs) with 100 parents. In addition, 10 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with children across all 10 administrative regions of Ghana. Findings indicate a very high prevalence of parent-child disagreements, with 87.3% of children reporting experiencing at least one form of conflict. The most frequently reported drivers were parental insistence on being right and perceptions of children as immature, regardless of age. Five dominant domains of disagreement emerged: hygiene and bathing practices, grooming and haircuts, dressing and clothing choices, technology and social media use, and parental overprotectiveness. Quantitative results further show that disagreements were significantly more prevalent among early and mid-adolescents than younger children, underscoring age-related tensions in autonomy negotiation. These findings suggest that parent-child conflict in Ghana is widespread, rooted more in communication styles and authority dynamics than in isolated behavioral issues. From a policy perspective, decision-makers, particularly within the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, may consider strengthening and adapting existing family welfare and child protection programs to incorporate age-sensitive parent education and adolescent-responsive communication components. This contextually appropriate, evidence-informed approach may effectively address frequent parent-child conflict by promoting better family communication and conflict negotiation skills.