The daily link between parental and teacher autonomy support and adolescent psychological outcomes: the moderating role of family social class

This study, based on Ecological Systems Theory and Self-Determination Theory, explores the relationships between parental autonomy support, teacher autonomy support, peer support, and university students' academic engagement from a positive psychology perspective, as well as the mediating roles of basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 416 university students from four universities in Guangxi, using the Academic Engagement Scale, Parental Autonomy Support Scale, Teacher Autonomy Support Scale, Peer Support Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, and Learning Motivation Scale. (1) Teacher autonomy support was significantly positively associated with university students' academic engagement; peer support was significantly negatively associated with academic engagement; parental autonomy support was not significantly associated with academic engagement. (2) Basic psychological needs significantly mediated the relationships between parental autonomy support, teacher autonomy support, peer support, and academic engagement. (3) Autonomous motivation significantly mediated the relationships between parental autonomy support, teacher autonomy support, and academic engagement, while it was not significantly associated with the relationship between peer support and academic engagement. (4) Basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation played a chain-mediating role in the relationships between parental autonomy support, teacher autonomy support, peer support, and academic engagement. Teacher, parental, and peer support influence university students' academic engagement through different pathways, with basic psychological needs and autonomous motivation serving as important "bridging" factors.

Although prior research has extensively documented the correlates of growth mindset, little is known about its antecedents in undergraduate students. Guided by the self-determination theory, the current study investigated the association of perceived autonomy support (i.e., parental autonomy support and teacher autonomy support) with growth mindset and assessed whether sense of coherence mediated this association. A total of 1,030 Chinese undergraduate students (62.4% females; Mage = 20.44, SD = 1.52) aged from 18 to 25 years were involved in this study; they were asked to fill out a set of self-reported questionnaires. Results of the structural equation modeling showed that sense of coherence fully mediated the association between parental autonomy support and growth mindset and between teacher autonomy support and growth mindset. More precisely, parental autonomy support and teacher autonomy support were each positively associated with sense of coherence, which in turn was positively related to growth mindset. The current findings further confirm the beneficial effect of autonomy support on individuals’ adaptive skills in a collective cultural context, suggesting that autonomy-supportive parents and teachers can contribute to undergraduate students’ growth mindset through the role of sense of coherence.

The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological mechanisms of how perceived autonomy support by the principal affects positive and negative aspects of teachers’ well-being. While satisfaction of the basic psychological needs (Deci and Ryan in Psychol Inquiry 11:227–268, 2000, https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01 ; Ryan and Deci in Am Psychol 55:68–78, 2000, https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066x.55.1.68 ) has already been shown to mediate this relationship (Klassen at al. in J Educ Psychol 104:150–165, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026253 ), we examined need frustration and need satisfaction separately as possible differential mediators. Participants were secondary level teachers (N = 49) who completed a questionnaire on perceived autonomy support by the principal, need satisfaction, need frustration, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and emotional exhaustion. Parallel multiple mediation analyses show that on the one hand, only need satisfaction, in particular autonomy satisfaction, mediates between autonomy support and positive affect. On the other hand, only need frustration of each of the three needs is a mediator for negative affect and emotional exhaustion. However, both frustration and satisfaction of the need for autonomy mediate between autonomy support and life satisfaction. The results of this study emphasize the benefits of examining teachers’ need satisfaction and need frustration as distinct psychological processes in order to more adequately understand how the social context affects teachers’ well-being. Specifically, the role of need frustration should be considered in explaining teachers’ high ill-being. Thus, this study provides implications for fostering teachers’ health, on a school level by sensitizing principals for autonomy-supportive leadership and on an individual level by developing teachers’ coping skills for experiences of need frustration.

Previous studies indicated that students with high self-efficacy were not only more motivated but also employed more effective self-regulated learning strategies. Perceived autonomy support can improve students' academic self-efficacy. The present study aimed to examine the influence of perceived parents' and teachers' autonomy support on self-efficacy for self-regulated learning. 737 students from grades 4 to 9 in China were investigated by using a parental autonomy support scale, a teacher autonomy support scale and a self-efficacy for self-regulated learning scale. Data analysis was conducted using correlation analysis and multilevel structural equation modelling (SEM). Results showed that 1) Perceived parents' and teachers' autonomy support had a significant positive prediction on self-efficacy for self-regulated learning; 2) The contribution from perceived teachers' autonomy support on self-efficacy for self-regulated learning is greater than that of parents. These findings enhance and broaden the understanding of factors influencing students' self-efficacy for self-regulated learning, offering theoretical backing and valuable insights for developing effective educational policies aimed at improving students' self-regulated learning.

According to the self‐determination theory, experiencing autonomy support in close relationships is thought to promote adolescents' well‐being. Perceptions of autonomy support from parents and from best friends have been associated with lower levels of adolescents' depressive symptoms. This longitudinal study examines the relative contribution of perceived autonomy support from parents and best friends in relation to adolescents' depressive symptoms and changes in these associations from early to late adolescence. Age and gender differences were also investigated. Questionnaires about mother, father, and a best friend were filled out by 923 early adolescents and 390 middle adolescents during five consecutive years, thereby covering an age range from 12 to 20. Multi‐group cross‐lagged path analysis revealed concurrent and longitudinal negative associations between perceived parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. No concurrent and longitudinal associations were found between perceived best friends' autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Results were similar for early and middle adolescent boys and girls. Prevention and treatment programs should focus on the bidirectional interplay during adolescence between perceptions of parental autonomy support and adolescents' depressive symptoms.

Mathematics is one of the compulsory subjects for high school students in Indonesia. However, not many of them like mathematics. Students’ low learning engagement in mathematics is affected by the social contexts of friends, teachers, and parents and the fulfilment of the students’ basic psychological needs. Teachers’ autonomy support to improve students’ engagement is essential, especially in mathematics learning. This research was aimed at looking into the roles of the fulfilment of basic psychological needs as the element mediating teacher autonomy support and student engagement. The number of respondents of this research was 102. They were students of various high schools in Indonesia. The instruments were the autonomy support scale for measuring the teachers’ autonomy support, the “feeling I have” scale for measuring the fulfilment of basic psychological needs, and the engagement scale for measuring the students’ engagement. The employed analysis technique was the simple mediation model analysis. The results of this study indicate the partial mediation of the fulfilment of basic psychological needs between the teachers’ autonomy support and the student’s engagement. This finding implies that teachers should understand better that every student has basic psychological needs which can be fulfilled through teacher autonomy support, which, in turn, leads to learning engagement.

PurposeThis study investigated the relationship between teacher autonomy support, students’ basic psychological needs satisfaction, and involvement in physical education (PE) with gender specific analyses. Additionally, the study examined the validity of a Norwegian version of the Basic Psychological Needs in PE (BPN-PE) scale.MethodSurvey data from the Norwegian 2017/2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study.ResultsA structural equation model showed that perceived autonomy support from teacher predicted students’ basic needs satisfaction of competence, autonomy and relatedness. Furthermore, satisfaction of competence predicted weekly PE participation and physical activity during PE among boys. The analyses revealed mean level differences with boys scoring higher than girls on all the investigated variables. The findings also supported the validity and reliability of the BPN-PE scale across genders.Discussion/conclusionThe study adds knowledge to the understanding of the relationship between autonomy support from teachers, students basic need satisfaction and students’ involvement in PE.

This quantitative study examined English as foreign language (EFL) students’ motivational orientation, perceived autonomy support, and psychological needs satisfaction in online education. Besides, the relationship between the above-mentioned variables was examined to test the hypothesis derived from the Self-Determination Theory. It was hypothesized that the autonomy-supportive environment in online English learning increased students’ psychological need satisfaction and helped students have more autonomous motivation. The participants were 123 sixth and seventh grade students in a secondary school. The following scales were used to answer the research questions: the Language Learning Orientations Scale (LLOS), Learning Climate Scale (LCS) and Activity-Feeling Scale (AFS). The data were analyzed through the SPSS and AMOS software. The results indicated that the identified regulation was the center of motivational orientation in online English learning. Moreover, students believed their teacher was autonomy-supportive, and their psychological needs were met. Additionally, it was found that EFL students with autonomous motivation perceived their teacher as more autonomy-enhancing than students with controlled motivation. On the other hand, students’ perceptions of their psychological needs did not change according to their self-determination level. Finally, the results showed that the satisfaction of psychological needs played an intermediary role between the autonomy support of teachers and the motivational orientation of students in online English learning. As a suggestion, further studies could use a longitudinal approach to provide a concise explanation for the persistent state of relatedness and autonomy in online learning. In addition, the generalizability of this study can be increased by collecting data from different regions, grade levels and cultures.

Homework is a key learning activity that promotes students' self-regulation, motivation, and academic achievement. Previous studies highlight the importance of parental and teacher autonomy support in fostering these outcomes, but the mechanisms underlying these relationships require further investigation. This study investigates the effects of parental and teacher autonomy support on students' self-regulation skills, mathematics homework completion, and academic achievement. Additionally, it examines whether gender moderates these relationships. The research was conducted with 530 middle school students from five public schools in Istanbul, covering 5th, 6th, and 7th grades. Data were collected on teachers' and parents' autonomy support in homework, students' self-regulation strategies, homework behaviors, and academic performance. Analyses were performed using SPSS 25 and AMOS 25 software, employing structural equation modeling (SEM) with mediation paths, multi-group path analysis, and correlation tests. The results indicate that both parental and teacher autonomy support positively influence students' use of self-regulation strategies, which in turn enhances homework completion and academic success. Self-regulation was found to mediate these relationships, confirming its crucial role in academic outcomes. However, gender did not significantly moderate these associations. This study advances the understanding of how parental and teacher autonomy support influence self-regulation, homework behavior, and academic achievement, contributing to the existing literature. By examining the mediating role of self-regulation and the moderating effect of gender, it provides in-depth insights into variations in homework engagement and academic outcomes. Findings highlight the importance of autonomy-supportive practices by parents and teachers to foster students' independent study skills. Future studies could extend these findings by examining subject-specific differences and longitudinal effect.

According to career construction theory, middle school students are in a critical phase of growth and exploration that requires self-reflection on their interests, values, and aspirations. Career adaptability is a key indicator of career development for middle school students and a crucial ability for achieving career success. Research indicates that many Chinese middle school students face significant hurdles in their career development, including a lack of motivation, limited self-awareness, and unclear career trajectories. To address these challenges, it is imperative to explore the factors influencing career adaptability, with a particular focus on the role of parental and teacher autonomy support within the framework of self-determination theory. This study aims to explore the correlation between parental autonomy support (PAS), teacher autonomy support (TAS), core self-evaluations (CSE), and career adaptability (CA) among middle school students. The longitudinal data for this study were collected from two middle schools in the Anhui province. Middle school students were recruited as research participants through a cluster sampling method. A total of 482 students were surveyed in three stages during a 1-year period, and a cross-lag model was employed to analyze the data. (1) From T1 to T2, T1PAS predicted T2CS, T1CSE predicted T2CA, and T1CA predicted T2TA; (2) from T2 to T3, T2PAS predicted T3CS, T2CSE predicted T3CA, and T2TAS predicted T3PAS; (3) TAS did not predict CSE and CA over time; (4) T2CSE mediated the relationship between T1PAS and T3CA. These findings suggest that autonomy support has a consistently positive influence on the career development of early adolescents. Valuing children's autonomy is beneficial for fostering positive self-evaluations and shaping their career trajectories. Autonomy support plays a pivotal role in enhancing middle school students' career adaptability and promoting career development by strengthening self-evaluations. Additionally, the effect of parental autonomy support is more stable than that of teacher autonomy support.

In this study, we examined the relations between biological maturity status, body mass index, age, and perceptions of adult autonomy support in the context of youth soccer. A total of 70 female and 43 male soccer players, aged 9 – 15 years, completed three adult-specific versions (i.e. mother, father, coach) of the perceived autonomy support subscale from the Interpersonal Style Scale. The participants' percent predicted adult stature was used as an estimate of biological maturity status. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that advanced maturity status in male players predicted lower perceptions of autonomy support from the coach. Maturity status was unrelated to perceptions of autonomy support from the coach in female soccer players, and paternal and maternal autonomy support in male and female players. Age and body mass index were unrelated to perceptions of adult (i.e. coach, mother, father) autonomy support in male and female players.

Within the self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) framework, research has considered the consequences of coaches' autonomy supportive and controlling behaviors on various athlete outcomes (e.g., motivation and performance). The antecedents of such behaviors, however, have received little attention. Coaches (N = 443) from a variety of sports and competitive levels completed a self-report questionnaire to assess their psychological need satisfaction, well-being and perceived interpersonal behaviors toward their athletes. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that coaches' competence and autonomy need satisfaction positively predicted their levels of psychological well-being, as indexed by positive affect and subjective vitality. In turn, coaches' psychological well-being positively predicted their perceived autonomy support toward their athletes, and negatively predicted their perceived controlling behaviors. Overall, the results highlight the importance of coaching contexts that facilitate coaches' psychological need satisfaction and well-being, thereby increasing the likelihood of adaptive coach interpersonal behavior toward athletes.

BackgroundSelf‐regulated learning (SRL) ability is the key determinant of the success of full‐time online learning. Thus, exploring the influencing factors of SRL and their influencing mechanisms is necessary to improve this ability among K‐12 students.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the influence mechanism of teacher autonomy support on students' online SRL by examining the structural relationship among teacher autonomy support, parental autonomy support, students' self‐efficacy, and students' online SRL.MethodsWe use structural equation modelling and effect analysis to analyse the collected data from 961 Chinese K‐12 students who engaged in full‐time online learning in their homes during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak.Results and ConclusionsParental autonomy support and students' self‐efficacy play crucial independent mediating roles in the influence of teacher autonomy support on students' online SRL. Parental autonomy support and students' self‐efficacy have a chain mediating effect on the influence of teacher autonomy support on students' online SRL.ImplicationsOn the basis of the results, we suggest that in order to develop students' online SRL ability, it is important for teacher to improve parental autonomy support and students' self‐efficacy. In addition, base on the chain mediating effect, to improve students' online SRL, teacher autonomy support needs focus on parental autonomy support, and then parental autonomy support needs focus on improving students' self‐efficacy.

Associations between students' perceptions of physical education teachers' interpersonal styles and students' wellness, knowledge, performance, and intentions to persist at physical activity: A self-determination theory approach

Extensive evidence shows that autonomy support is a strong predictor of students’ psychological needs and classroom engagement. However, for racially/ethnically minoritized students, strategies to support psychological needs may need to extend beyond traditional conceptions of autonomy support rooted in white normative values, requiring explicit support for a positive racial climate. This investigation includes two studies examining the relationships among racially/ethnically minoritized college students’ perceptions of instructors’ autonomy support and classroom racial climate (CRC) with engagement via psychological need satisfaction, as well as interactions between autonomy support and CRC. In Study 1, promotion of cultural competence and cultural socialization were associated with students’ need satisfaction and, in turn, classroom engagement over and above perceptions of autonomy support. Study 2 replicated these results, showing that cultural competence and socialization were significantly indirectly associated with engagement through need satisfaction. Multigroup analyses found no significant differences across racial/ethnic groups. Across both studies, non-significant CRC and autonomy support interactions suggested that the CRC did not alter the effect of autonomy support on needs or engagement. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of considering racial dynamics in class as critical contextual factors that influence racially/ethnically minoritized students’ basic psychological needs and engagement.