Perceived parental control and psychological well-being in Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong

Abstract

Chinese secondary school students (N=2,758) responded to measures of perceived parental behavioral control (parental knowledge, expectation, monitoring, discipline and demandingness), parental psychological control, and adolescent psychological well-being (hopelessness, mastery, life satisfaction and self-esteem). Results showed that composite parental behavioral control was weakly related to parental psychological control, whereas discrete aspects of parental behavioral control were differentially related to parental psychological control. Although parental psychological control was negatively related to adolescent psychological well-being, parental behavioral control was positively related to adolescent adjustment. The present findings underscore the role of parental control in the psychological well-being of Chinese adolescents at Secondary 2 level in Hong Kong. The implications of the findings for the development of positive youth development programs in Hong Kong are discussed.