Parental Autonomy Research Articles

Parent-Adolescent Discrepancies in Perceiving Parental Psychological Control and Autonomy Support Predict Adolescents' Psychological Adjustment: Does Adolescent Gender Make a Difference?

Few studies simultaneously examined how parent-adolescent discrepancies in reporting psychological control and autonomy support predicted adolescents' adjustment and the moderation by adolescent gender remains unknown. This longitudinal study addressed these gaps using a Chinese sample of 310 adolescents (158 girls; Mage = 13.34, SD = 0.36) and their parents. Adolescents reported depression and resilience and dyads reported parenting. The latent difference scores analysis showed higher psychological control and lower autonomy support perceived by adolescents than parents and larger parent-boy discrepancies in psychological control. Psychological control discrepancies predicted higher adolescents' depression and autonomy support discrepancies predicted lower boys' depression. The results suggest that parent-adolescent discrepant perceptions of different parenting behaviors predict adolescents' adjustment via different processes, which vary for boys and girls.

The Bidirectional Relations Between Parental Autonomy Support, Gratitude and Academic Engagement in Chinese Adolescents.

Abundant evidence highlights the benefits of self-determined motivation (e.g., parental autonomy support as internalized extrinsic motivation, gratitude as intrinsic motivation) on academic engagement during adolescence, yet the potential mutual relations remain relatively unexplored. This study investigated the bidirectional relations and potential mechanisms among parental autonomy support, gratitude, and academic engagement using a traditional cross-lag-panel model (CLPM) and a within-person CLPM with random intercept (RI-CLPM) in a sample of Chinese youth (N = 1214; Mage = 15.46, SDage = 0.71; 39.30% girls) across three time points with 6-month intervals. The results indicated that the bidirectional relation between parental autonomy support and academic engagement was present in CLPM but not in RI-CLPM. However, the bidirectional relations between gratitude and academic engagement, and between gratitude and parental autonomy support, existed at both levels. Furthermore, in CLPM, parental autonomy support influenced academic engagement through gratitude, and gratitude, in turn, affected academic engagement through parental autonomy support. Academic engagement impacted gratitude via parental autonomy support, and simultaneously, academic engagement influenced parental autonomy support through gratitude. Academic engagement served as a mediator between parental autonomy support and gratitude, as well as between gratitude and parental autonomy support. Five self-enhancing loops were identified in CLPM. These findings reveal a virtuous cycle of mutual influence between parental autonomy support, gratitude, and adolescent academic engagement, highlighting the important role of academic engagement in strengthening autonomous motivation.

Whose autonomy support is more effective in promoting exercise adherence in higher vocational college students - based on self-determined theory

ObjectiveBased on the self-determination theory, the three types of autonomy support of parents, teachers and peers as a whole were included in the same research system to explore their effects on exercise adherence of higher vocational college students and their internal mechanisms.MethodsThe study used the exercise autonomy support scale, autonomous motivation scale and exercise adherence scale to construct and test the hypothesised pathways for promoting exercise adherence among students in higher vocational college. Using the data obtained from a survey of 436 higher vocational college students as the unit of analysis, and taking into account the variable of students’ self-determined motivation. The three types of autonomy support of parents, teachers and peers were simultaneously incorporated into the same research system to explore their effects on higher vocational college students’ exercise adherence and their internal mechanisms.ResultsExcept for parent autonomy support, neither teacher nor peer autonomy support had a significant positive effect on exercise adherence of higher vocational college students. Unlike the role played by teacher autonomy support, neither parent nor peer autonomy support was able to positively predict exercise autonomous motivation among higher vocational college students.ConclusionParent autonomy support can positively influence the exercise adherence of higher vocational college students, neither teacher nor peer autonomy support can significantly positively influence the exercise adherence of higher vocational college students. Teacher autonomy support can significantly and indirectly influence higher vocational college students’ exercise adherence through autonomous motivation, while parent and peer autonomy support cannot indirectly influence higher vocational college students’ exercise adherence through autonomous motivation.

Balancing boundaries: Observed parental autonomy support and psychological control in the context of parent-adolescent interactions and adolescent depression.

Autonomy support (AS) and psychological control (PC) are important parenting behaviors in adolescence, with low AS and high PC relating to adolescent depression. Studies on observed levels of AS and PC in a clinical sample are lacking. The current study aimed to (1) develop a reliable coding system for parental AS and PC in parent-adolescent interactions and gain insights into its ecological validity in a healthy control (HC) sample, and (2) disentangle observed and adolescent-perceived parenting behaviors in relation to adolescent depression. HC adolescents (N = 80, Mage = 15.90, 63.7% girls, 91.3% White) and their parents (N = 148, Mage = 49.00, 53.4% female, 97.3% White) and adolescents with depression (current MDD/dysthymia; N = 35, Mage = 15.60, 77.1% girls, 65.7% White) and their parents (N = 62, Mage = 50.13, 56.5% female, 79.0% White) participated in three videotaped dyadic interaction tasks (problem solving, event planning, and reminiscence). Adolescents reported on their parents' behavior and their own positive and negative affect after each task, while observed AS and PC were coded from the videos. Multilevel analyses showed that observed AS and PC, coded with our reliable system, related to adolescent-perceived parenting (in daily life), confirming ecological validity. Adolescents with depression (vs. HC) had more negative perceptions of parenting, whereas observed AS and PC did not differ, indicating a negativity bias of adolescents with depression. Lastly, observed PC related to a lower affective state in adolescents with depression, but not HC. Parents could be psycho-educated on the impact of this behavior in a clinical setting.

Effects of Perceived Parents' and Teachers' Autonomy Support on Students' Self-Efficacy for Self-Regulated Learning

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.

Learning to thrive through autonomy: a thematic analysis of the role of recalled parental autonomy in the transition to motherhood

Learning to thrive through autonomy: a thematic analysis of the role of recalled parental autonomy in the transition to motherhood

The Relationship Between Parental Autonomy Support, Psychological Control, and Academic Adaptation of Middle School Students: The Mediation of Parent-child Relationship and Self-efficacy

In the current contemporary competitive social environment, the academic adaptation (AA) is crucial to personal growth and future development. Many studies have shown that family parenting styles (PSs) significantly impact the academic adaptation. Nonetheless, the existing comprehension of the underlying mechanisms by which parental autonomy support (AS) and psychological control (PC) within family parenting styles influence the academic adjustment of middle school adolescents remains insufficiently elucidated. Therefore, this study explored in depth the influencing mechanism of parental AS, PC, and AA of middle school kids, while analyzing the mediators, i.e., parent-child interactions and self-efficacy (SE). The study results found that parental AS positively influenced academic adaption, whereas PC negatively affected it. The parent-child relationship and SE served as mediators in the relationship between the two variables. This study could be beneficial to improving family PSs and promoting the academic growth of middle school kids, while also emphasizing the significance of building positive parent-child bonds and enhancing students' SE in family parenting.

Teachers' Growth Mindset, Perceived School Climate, and Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Moderate the Relationship Between Students' Growth Mindset and Academic Achievement.

This study investigates the moderating effects of several contextual factors (i.e., teachers' growth mindset, perceived school climate, and perceived parental autonomy support) on the relationship between students' growth mindset and academic achievement. Drawing on Dweck's growth mindset theory and recent research findings that highlight the context sensitivity of the growth mindset, we hypothesize that supportive environments strengthen the positive impact of students' growth mindset on academic outcomes. A sample of 358 middle school students (53.8% female; Mage = 13.38 years, SD = 2.20) from public schools in Shanghai City, mainland China, was assessed via three validated instruments: (1) the Growth Mindset Inventory, which is used to measure students' and teachers' beliefs about intelligence; (2) the Delaware School Climate Survey for Students, which is used to assess students' perceptions of the school climate; and (3) the Perceived Parental Autonomy Support Scale, which is used to evaluate students' perceived parental autonomy support. Academic achievement was measured by district-level final exam scores. The results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed that teachers' growth mindset, perceived school climate support (e.g., teacher-student and student-student relations, fairness of rules, school safety, liking of school), and the perception of positive parental autonomy support (e.g., choice, rationale, acknowledgment) positively moderated the relationship between students' growth mindset and academic achievement. In contrast, the perception of negative parental autonomy factors (e.g., punishment threats, performance pressure, guilt-inducing criticism) negatively moderated this relationship. These results indicate that the relationship between students' growth mindset and academic achievement may vary depending on contextual factors, highlighting the importance of considering both positive and negative influences when designing educational strategies.

Longitudinal Relations Between Adolescent Self-Esteem and Mental Health Concerns: The Mediation of Self-Control and Moderation of Parental Autonomy Support.

Adolescents' self-esteem is often associated with their mental health, and believed to be a protective factor against depression, anxiety, and stress. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship warrant further exploration. Employing a longitudinal design, this study investigates the relations between self-esteem and mental health in adolescents, considering the mediating influence of self-control and the moderating effect of parental autonomy support. A total of 1260 adolescents from China (45.9% male, 54.1% female, Mage = 15.98, SDage = 0.97) participated in this study, completing self-reported questionnaires assessing self-esteem, self-control, parental autonomy support, and mental health issues (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) across three time points over a 6-month period (with a 3-month interval between assessments). Controlling for baseline levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, adolescents' self-esteem reported at wave 1 positively correlated with depression (β = -0.17, p < 0.001), anxiety (β = -0.17, p < 0.001), and stress (β = -0.17, p < 0.001) in wave 3. Furthermore, self-control reported at wave 2 mediated these relations. Besides, perceived parental autonomy support was associated with a stronger link between self-esteem and self-control. The present study indicates the protective roles of self-esteem and self-control in relation to adolescents' mental health problems, while emphasizing the potential of a supportive family environment to strengthen these associations. The findings hold implications for the development of prevention and intervention strategies targeting adolescents' mental well-being.

The Mediating Role of Career Stress and Career Awareness in the Relationship Between Mother Helicopter Parenting, Autonomy Supportive Behaviors, and Career Instability

This study aims to examine the structural relationships between mothers’ parental helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive behaviors, and emerging adults' career instability, career awareness, and career stress. The study sample includes 970 university students, comprising 635 women (65.4%) and 335 men (34.6%), aged between 17 and 25. Participants provided self-reported data on helicopter parenting, autonomy supportive behaviors, career instability, career awareness, and career stress. Structural equation modeling was utilized to assess the intricate relationships among these variables. Findings indicate that maternal autonomy supportive behaviors significantly correlate with career awareness, though they do not have a statistically significant relationship with career stress. Helicopter parenting is positively associated with career stress, whereas career awareness shows a negative association. Additionally, career awareness inversely contributes to career instability, while both career stress and helicopter parenting have positive contributions. The link between helicopter parenting and career awareness was not statistically significant. Helicopter parenting’s impact on career instability is mediated by career stress, while the influence of autonomy supportive behaviors on career instability is mediated through career awareness and both career awareness and career stress.

Digital leisure motivational interference decreases college students’ online learning satisfaction: the roles of academic emotions and parental autonomy support

Previous studies have pointed out that leisure motivational interference was an important factor affecting students’ learning satisfaction. This study concentrates on three unexplored areas in the current literature on leisure motivational interference and learning satisfaction. Specifically, it is the first to (a) focus on the effects of digital leisure motivational interference (DLMI) on online learning satisfaction; (b) separate the cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of DLMI (DLMI-C, DLMI-A, and DLMI-B) when examining its effects; and (c) reveal how these three components influence online learning satisfaction. We conducted a questionnaire survey among 1041 Chinese college students who engaged in online learning, utilizing several measures: the Digital Leisure Motivational Interference Scale, the Academic Emotions Questionnaire, the Parental Autonomy Support Scale, and the Online Learning Satisfaction Scale. The results showed that (a) DLMI-C, DLMI-A, and DLMI-B negatively predicted online learning satisfaction, respectively; however, the differences in their effects were not significant; (b) academic emotions, both positive and negative, played the mediating roles between the three components of DLMI and online learning satisfaction; (c) parental autonomy support moderated the relationship between academic emotions (positive and negative) and online learning satisfaction. Notably, learners with higher levels of parental autonomy support reported greater online learning satisfaction compared to those with lower levels of support, particularly when experiencing lower frequency of academic emotions, whether positive or negative.

The Impact of Cyberbullying Victimization on Internet Gaming Addiction Among College Students: The Mediating Roles of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration, and the Moderating Role of Parental Autonomy Support.

Research on the relationship between cyberbullying victimization and Internet gaming addiction in China is limited, while the mechanisms underlying this association remain unclear. Based on the Self-Determination Theory, this study establishes a moderated mediation model to test the mediating roles of basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration between cyberbullying victimization and Internet gaming addiction, as well as the moderating role of parental autonomy support in this mediating effect. 2819 college students were surveyed using self-reported questionnaires about cyberbullying victimization, basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration, parental autonomy support, and Internet gaming addiction. SPSS 24.0 was utilized to analyze the correlations between variables, and Amos 24.0 was employed to test the structural equation model of this study. Cyberbullying victimization was found to significantly predict Internet gaming addiction positively. Basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration played partial mediating roles between cyberbullying victimization and Internet gaming addiction respectively. Parental autonomy support further moderated the first half of the mediated model pathway. Specifically, the impact of cyberbullying victimization on basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration are more obvious among college students with high level of parental autonomy support. The findings advance our understanding of how cyberbullying victimization affects Internet gaming addiction.Within the college environment, reducing cyberbullying victimization could prevent Internet gaming addiction. Furthermore, enhancing basic psychological need satisfaction, reducing basic psychological need frustration, and reinforcing parental autonomy support among college students who have experienced cyberbullying would be effective to prevent Internet gaming addiction.

A study on the dialectical relationship between parental authority and autonomy

A study on the dialectical relationship between parental authority and autonomy

Parent autonomy support and undergraduates’ academic engagement in online learning: the mediate role of self-regulation

BackgroundThe role of parent support for adolescents has been validated in online learning. However, less attention has been paid to undergraduates.Main bodyThe research used self-reported questionnaires to investigate the mediating effects of self-regulation in parent autonomy support and academic engagement (cognitive, behavioral, and emotional dimensions) within the online environment in the context of Chinese culture.ObjectiveThe present study recruited 1908 undergraduates in China.MethodsThe students completed measures of parent autonomy support, self-regulation and three sub-dimensions of academic engagement.ResultsThe results indicated that parent autonomy support exerted a direct and significant effect on the three sub-dimensions of academic engagement in online learning. Self-regulation partially mediated the relations between parent autonomy support and three sub-dimensions of academic engagement.ConclusionThese findings showed parents should autonomously support students to promote their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement. Moreover, the partial mediation explained how parent autonomy support affected three sub-dimensions of academic engagement. Limitations and educational implications were also discussed.

부모의 성취압력과 진로성숙도의 관계에서 자율성의 매개효과와 학업수행능력의 조절효과

Objectives The purpose of this study is to discuss implications for improving the career maturity of children and adolescents by confirming the mediating effect of the child's level of autonomy and the moderating effect of academic performance in the relationship between parental achievement pressure and career maturity. Methods The study utilized data from the 12th (2019) and 13th (2020) waves of the Korean Children Panel Survey, with a total of 1,187 participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26 software, including reliability analysis, frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, and correlation analysis. Additionally, the PROCESS macro was employed to analyze the research model, specifically the 4th mediation model and the 7th moderated mediation model. Results First, parental achievement pressure had a negative impact on children's autonomy and career maturity, and autonomy had a positive impact on career maturity. Second, parental achievement pressure had a negative impact on career maturity through the mediating effect of children's autonomy. Third, a significant moderating effect of academic performance was found in the relationship between parental achievement pressure and children's autonomy. In other words, academic performance enhanced the negative impact of parental achievement pressure on autonomy. Fourth, the controlled mediating effect by academic performance ability was significant, and it was confirmed that the higher the academic performance ability, the stronger the negative mediating effect of achievement pressure on career maturity through autonomy. Conclusions Based on the analysis results, this study suggests that parents need the right parenting attitude to improve their career maturity, that supporting autonomy is helpful, and that effective parenting methods can vary depending on individual characteristics such as academic performance. In addition, the direction of follow-up research was suggested, such as comparative analysis of the effects of parenting methods according to individual characteristics, achievement pressure through qualitative research, and in-depth analysis of autonomy.

Parenting Styles and Coping Strategies among Vietnamese Adolescents

Coping ability is one of the crucial factors helping adolescents face and overcome changes and difficulties during this developmental stage. The selection and use of coping strategies by adolescents are influenced by various factors from family, school, and social environment, including parenting styles. This study aims to examine the influence of parenting styles, as perceived by adolescents, on their coping strategies. Using a cross-sectional design, the study employed the Proactive Coping Inventory and Parenting Scale. Results showed that parental autonomy support, psychological control, and behavioral control have different effects on adolescents' coping strategies.

Adolescents’ perceptions of autonomy-supportive parents and social-emotional health: Serial multiple mediation of positive stress and mental toughness

Adolescence may bring some developmental challenges that affect social-emotional health. However, it is also possible to turn challenges into opportunities. Parental autonomy support, psychological stress, and mental toughness can contribute to adolescents having a healthy period. This study examined the mediating role of positive stress and mental toughness in the relationship between parental autonomy support and social-emotional health. The study included 441 (female 56.46%, male 43.54%) adolescents in Turkey enrolled in a high school. Self-report scales were used in this cross-sectional study. The results showed that positive stress and mental toughness were serial mediators of the relationship between adolescents’ perceptions of parental autonomy support and social-emotional health outcomes (indirect effect = 0.05 [0.03, 0.08]). These results extend the implications of self-determination and positive psychology theories. It guides parents, educators, and school counselors in strengthening adolescents’ social-emotional health. Adolescents’ socio-emotional health can be enhanced through workshops and counseling services that offer parental autonomy support, positive management of stress, and mental toughness.

Gritty Parenting: The Development and Validation of the Parental Grit Scale.

In this study, we aimed to expand the domain specificity of grit by exploring it in the realm of parenting. Parental grit was defined as parents' inclination to demonstrate perseverance, sustained passion, and adaptability in pursuing long-term parenting goals. With longitudinal data from 1,373 U.S. parents, we developed and validated the Parental Grit Scale (PGS) in three phases: item development and revision, establishment of factor structure, and examination of criterion-related and incremental validity. The PGS exhibited a three-factor structure and (partial) scalar measurement invariance across genders, the status of the child's special needs, and measurement occasions. The PGS demonstrated moderate temporal stability. We found evidence of its validity in predicting parental emotional exhaustion, self-efficacy, autonomy support, and parents' perceptions of children's school well-being. Parental grit explained variance in these outcomes beyond domain-general grit and conscientiousness. The PGS has sound psychometric properties and is a valuable measure in the parenting domain.

Parental Bonding and Maternal-Fetal Attachment among Indonesian Pregnant Women

Pregnant women generally have a certain emotional bond with the fetus they are carrying. Sometimes, this emotional connection and attachment can be a projection of the pregnant woman's relationship with her own parents. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship and influence between the dimensions of parental bonding (PB) and maternal-fetal attachment (MFA) among pregnant women in Indonesia. This research employs a correlational design involving 120 pregnant women in their second and third trimesters in Indonesia. Data collection was conducted using the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale (α 0.878) and the Parental Bonding Instrument (α &gt; .70). The study found that parental care (PC) and parental autonomy encouragement (PAE) positively correlate with MFA. Specifically, PC can predict MFA. In other words, the higher the positive care received by the mother during her childhood and adulthood, the more it influences the care and attachment of the mother towards the fetus. Future research is expected to test the model of these variables with a larger and more diverse sample, and with a more complex model.

Children’s Rights Perspective on Privacy and Data Protection in the Digital Age

The digital age has transformed children's lives, raising new challenges for their privacy and data protection. This paper examines the conflict between children's rights to privacy and parents' freedom to share online, focusing on issues like "sharenting" and data exploitation. It also reviews global legal frameworks such as the UNCRC and GDPR, assessing their effectiveness in protecting children's digital rights. The study proposes legal reforms and best practices, emphasizing the need to prioritize children's best interests while balancing parental responsibilities and children's autonomy in the digital world.