Introduction: Parents’ behavior and practices affect many aspects of family life, including health, and many studies have proven that children's bad habits are associated with parents’ behavior and practices.
Objectives: This study aimed to identify parents’ negative behaviors that might affect their families’ health and social development.
Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the influence of parents’ behavior and practices on their family health, in which 192 respondents participated.
Results: The results clarified the influence of parents on family health in several aspects. On the behavioral side, approximately 90% of the participants agreed that the behavior of parents may affect the behavior of their families, and the social and educational side results clarified the relationship between parents' illiteracy and support for the cognitive and social health of the family.
Discussion: This study clarified that there is a significant relationship between illiterate parents and their ability to support their families, illustrating that the majority of participants thought that the development of the cognitive and social health of families depends on the presence of supportive parents, which has many implications for family social and psychological health.
Conclusion: Parental behaviors and practices have a strong effect on their family’s health, which affects the development of the families’ cognitive and social health.
Recommendation: The study recommends the need for supportive, friendly hospitals for family social health and the provision of specialized programs that support the family’s social and psychological health.