Role Of Parental Psychological Control Research Articles

Trajectories of Perceived Parental Psychological Control and the Longitudinal Associations with Chinese Adolescents' School Adjustment across High School Years.

Past research supports the detrimental effects of parental psychological control on adolescent school adjustment in both emotional and academic domains. However, how psychological control changes during adolescence, and how such developmental course is related to adolescent psychological well-being and academic functioning are unclear. The direction of effects between parenting and child behaviors is also inconclusive. This 3-year longitudinal study addressed these research gaps by using five waves of survey data on 710 Chinese adolescents of high school ages (Mean age at T1 = 15.54 years, SD = 0.45, 50% males). Using latent growth curve models and latent class growth analysis, the majority of adolescents (about 63%) reported gradual increases of parental psychological control in the first 2 years of high school but a slight decline afterwards, while the other 37% perceived low and stable levels. Results from parallel latent growth modeling suggested that trajectories of psychological control were positively related to developmental trends of internalizing problems (i.e., depression and anxiety) and maladaptive academic functioning, but negatively associated with the trajectory of adaptive academic functioning, as indexed by intercept-intercept and slope-slope associations. The random-intercept cross-lagged models further revealed that psychological control was predictive of adolescent anxiety and lower adaptive academic functioning, and bidirectionally associated with maladaptive academic-related beliefs and behaviors at the within-person level. Taken together, these findings highlight the crucial role of parental psychological control on adolescent school adjustment in the Chinese cultural context and support the reciprocal model of parent-child interactions.

The moderating effects of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning among Chinese children.

There have been studies indicating that children's unsociability was associated with poorer socio-emotional functioning in China. Although some researchers have found that parenting behavior would influence the relationship between children's unsociability and adjustment, the role of parental psychological control has not been explored. This study aimed to investigate the moderating effect of parental psychological control on the relationship between unsociability and socio-emotional functioning in Chinese children. A total of 1,275 students from Grades 3 to 7 (637 boys, Mage = 10.78 years, SD = 1.55 years) were selected from four public schools in Shanghai to participate in this study. Data of unsociability, peer victimization and social preference were collected from peer-nominations, and data of parental psychological control, depressive symptoms and social anxiety were collected from self-reports. There were positive associations between unsociability and peer victimization, depressive symptoms, and social anxiety, as well as a negative association between unsociability and social preference. Parental psychological control moderated these associations, specifically, the associations between unsociability and peer victimization, social preference, and depressive symptoms were stronger, and the association between unsociability and social anxiety was only significant among children with higher level of parental psychological control. The findings in the current study highlight the importance of parental psychological control in the socio-emotional functioning of unsociable children in the Chinese context, enlightening educators that improving parenting behavior is essential for children's development.

Effects of Parental Educational Anxiety on Self-efficacy in High School Students: A Mediating Role of Parental Psychological Control

Educational anxiety is gradually becoming an urgent problem in China. This study surveyed the current situation of parental educational anxiety, parental psychological control, and general self-efficacy among high school students, and explored the relationships between these three variables. In this study, 427 high school students and their parents were investigated. The results show that: (1) there is no significant difference in parental educational anxiety. (2) Parents 'educational anxiety, parents' psychological control and self-efficacy have significant differences in the gender of their children, which is higher in boys than girls. (3) Parents 'education anxiety and psychological control, and parental education anxiety and children's self-efficacy. (4) Parents 'psychological control and children's self-efficacy, and the relationship was not significant, and the mediation model was not established. This study provides a reference program for the education anxiety of high school parents: parents should be aware of the impact of their own education anxiety on their children, properly solve or transfer their education anxiety, and appropriately carry out home-school cooperation to cultivate their children in many aspects.

Maternal and Paternal Authoritarian Parenting and Adolescents’ Impostor Feelings: The Mediating Role of Parental Psychological Control and the Moderating Role of Child’s Gender

Recent systematic reviews about the impostor phenomenon unveil a severe shortage of research data on adolescents. The present study aimed at reducing this gap in the literature by investigating the association between maternal and paternal authoritarian parenting and impostor feelings among adolescents, while testing the mediating role played by parental psychological control and the moderating role of the child's gender in this context. Three hundred and eight adolescents took part in an online survey, in which they reported anonymously on their impostor feelings and their parents' parenting styles via several valid psychological questionnaires. The sample consisted of 143 boys and 165 girls, whose age ranged from 12 to 17 (M = 14.67, SD = 1.64). Of the sample's participants, over 35% reported frequent to intense impostor feelings, with girls scoring significantly higher than boys on this scale. In general, the maternal and paternal parenting variables explained 15.2% and 13.3% (respectively) of the variance in the adolescents' impostor scores. Parental psychological control fully mediated (for fathers) and partially mediated (for mothers) the association between parental authoritarian parenting and the adolescents' impostor feelings. The child's gender moderated solely the maternal direct effect of authoritarian parenting on impostor feelings (this association was significant for boys alone), but not the mediating effect via psychological control. The current study introduces a specific explanation for the possible mechanism describing the early emergence of impostor feelings in adolescents based on parenting styles and behaviors.

Parental Burnout and Adolescents' Development: Family Environment, Academic Performance, and Social Adaptation.

The present study aimed to examine the effect and underlying mechanism of parental burnout on adolescents' development as well as the mediating role of parental psychological control. Adolescents' academic performance, and social distress were selected as developmental indicators. Data were collected on three different occasions using a time-lagged design. Questionnaires were distributed to 565 Chinese families. In the first phase of data collection, fathers and mothers were asked to provide data regarding their parental burnout separately. In the second phase, adolescents were asked to provide details regarding their perceived father and mother's psychological control. In the third phase, adolescents were asked to provide information on their social distress. At the end of their term, academic performance scores on the final exams were collected. In total, data of 290 students (135 boys; Mage = 13.85 years) and their parents (for fathers age M = 41.91, and for mothers M = 40.76) were matched. The results of the multi-group structural equation model showed that parental burnout was negatively related to adolescents' development indirectly through parental psychological control. Parental psychological control partial mediated the relation between parental burnout and academic performance, and fully mediated the relation between parental burnout with social adaptation. In addition, mothers' parental burnout showed a stronger effect than fathers'. Mothers' parental burnout generally showed significant effects on adolescents' development, while the same indirect effects were not significant in the sample of fathers. These results showed the importance of mothers' influence on adolescents in parenting activities, and therefore, attention should be paid to mothers in the intervention and prevention of parental burnout.

Self‐compassion reduces parental burnout: Mediation roles of parental psychological control and support

AbstractThis study investigated the mediating role of parental psychological control (PPC) and support in the relationship between self‐compassion and parental burnout syndrome. The study participants included 1185 Vietnamese parents who completed questionnaires regarding demographic information, parental burnout, self‐compassion, parental support of the child, and PPC. We used data analyses, including structural equation modeling, to test the mediation roles of PPC and parental support of the child. Our main findings include: (1) self‐compassion had a significant negative effect on parental burnout; (2) the mediation roles of PPC and parental support of the child were also significant. These results suggest that parents with high self‐compassion tend to provide more support for children in daily parenting, which helps reduce parental burnout. In contrast, parents with low self‐compassion were more likely to use PPC, which exacerbated their burnout. The results from this study provide suggestions for creating effective interventions in the family context to reduce parental burnout and improve parenting effectiveness.

Parental psychological control and cyberbullying tendency in adolescents from the perpetrator side

This research aims to analyze the contributions of parents’ behavior to adolescent cyberbullying. It tests the role of parental psychological control and adolescent cyberbullying behaviour using a quantitative design with the selection of samples in the form of accidental sampling. Furthermore, the participants comprised 383 adolescents aged 13-17 years who live with both parents and have committed cyberbullying. The respondents filled out the questionnaires containing the Psychological Control – Disrespect Scale (PCDS) to measure the patent’s psychological control and the Cyber-Aggression Scale (CYB-AGS). A multiple regression analysis showed that the control predicts adolescent cyberbullying behavior (R2= 0,053, F =10.619, p = 0.000), and as a predictor variable, it contributes 5.3% to cyberbullying behavior. According to the model, the father’s psychological control predicts adolescents’ cyberbullying behavior. This research reveals the significance of parental psychological control in adolescent cyberbullying behaviour.

The influence of children’s behavior problems on parents’ psychological well-being: A serial mediation model of parental psychological control and parental burnout

Becoming a parent is not an easy journey, this includes not only happy moments with children but aslo time of fatigue, anxiety and burnout. The present study seeks to examine the effect of children's behavior problems on parents' psychological well-being (PW) and the serial mediation role of parental psychological control (PCS) and parental burnout (PB). Participants included 555 Vietnamese parents (Mage = 36.64, SD = 4.90 years old) selected through an online survey. Participants completed questionnaires regarding demographic information, PCS, PB, PW, and children's behavior problems. The main findings include: (a) Children's behavior problems have no direct effect on PW; (b) PCS and PB played a serial mediating role in the relationship between children's behavior problems and PW. This study's results have implications for developing interventions in family settings to increase PW and reduce PCS, PB to make the parenting process more effective.

Family socioeconomic status and Chinese high school students' test anxiety: Serial mediating role of parental psychological control, learning resources, and student academic self-efficacy.

It is widely documented that students with lower family socioeconomic status (SES) tend to have higher test anxiety than their peers from higher SES families. However, few studies have empirically examined the underlying mechanism whereby family SES shapes students' test anxiety. To bridge this gap, the present study proposed and tested a serial mediation model in which family SES is associated with students' test anxiety through the indirect effect of parental psychological control, access to learning resources, and academic self-efficacy. The sample comprised 354 Chinese high school students (134 boys; mean age=16.15years old). The results were as follows: (1) higher family SES was associated with increased access to learning resources, higher academic self-efficacy, lower parental psychological control, and lower test anxiety. In contrast, test anxiety was associated with decreased access to learning resources, lower academic self-efficacy, and higher parental psychological control; and (2) the mediation model indicated parental psychological control, learning resources, and academic self-efficacy functioned as serial mediators in the relationship between family SES and students' test anxiety (i.e., family SES → psychological control and learning resources → academic self-efficacy → test anxiety). The findings are discussed in the framework of the family stress/investment models and social cognitive theory. Concrete suggestions for how low SES parents can help decrease their children's test anxiety are provided.

Patterns of adolescent–parent conflicts over schoolwork in Chinese families

ABSTRACT Schoolwork is a significant source of adolescent–parent conflicts in Chinese families. Framed in Smetana’s model of social domain theory and with support from self-determination theory by Deci and Ryan, we used the qualitative methods of grounded theory approach to explore the patterns of adolescent–parent conflicts over schoolwork in Chinese families, as well as the role of parental psychological control and youths’ autonomy development in schoolwork conflicts. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews with 28 parents and 35 adolescents in Yinchuan city of Ningxia. Intricate patterns of conflict reasoning and resolution are revealed in (a) parents’ conventional reasoning about schoolwork conflicts as driven by education system in China; (b) parents’ use of explicit and subtle coercive conflict resolution strategies; (c) adolescents’ conventional reasoning about conflicts on academic performance, multifaceted reasoning about conflicts on daily studies, and personal reasoning about conflicts on non-academic activities and (d) the process- and relationship-orientations of adolescents’ conflict resolution strategies. Reactive nature of Chinese teenagers’ conflict reasoning and resolution, as well as the intricate process involving parents’ psychological control and adolescents’ controlled motivation over schoolwork are indicated. Findings are discussed in the cultural context of contemporary China.

Psychological Predictors of Homophobic Bullying Among Adolescents and Young Adults: The Role of Parental Psychological Control and Sensation Seeking

We aimed to investigate the relationship between homophobic bullying, parental psychological control and sensation seeking among adolescents and young adults and to examine the mediating role of sensation seeking. The participants included 394 adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 20 years attending the 3rd, 4th and 5th years of two public high schools in Italian cities. Participants completed the Homophobic Bullying Scale, the Dependency—oriented and Achievement—oriented Parental Psychological Control, and the Sensation—Seeking Scale. The results showed that parental psychological control predicted bullying toward gay and lesbian people. However, the two dimensions of sensation seeking (thrill and adventure seeking, and disinhibition) represented two mediators in the relationship between parental psychological control, both achievement and dependency—oriented, and homophobic bullying.

The Moderating Effects of Child-Perceived Parental Psychological Control on the Association between Functions of Aggression and Peer Victimization in Elementary School Children

The current study examined whether associations between functions of aggression (proactive and reactive) and peer victimization (physical and relational) were moderated by parental psychological control in a sample of elementary school-aged children. Analyses were based on a sample of 279 children in grades three through five. Data was collected in the fall and spring of a single academic year. Peer victimization was assessed through child- and teacher-report, and functions of aggression and parental psychological control were measured through child-report. Multiple group models, with student sex as the grouping variable, were estimated to address study hypotheses. Findings from multiple group path models revealed significant effects for boys only. For boys who reported a high level of parental psychological control, proactive aggression was a negative predictor of child-reported physical victimization. Additionally, parental psychological control moderated the association between boys’ reactive aggression and teacher-reported relational victimization. At low levels of parental psychological control, reactive aggression was a positive predictor of relational victimization whereas reactive aggression was a negative predictor of peer victimization at high levels of psychological control. Our results suggest that for boys who endorse a high level of parental psychological control, aggression is negatively associated with peer victimization. We argue that children who experience a high level of parental psychological control are more likely to apply those same strategies in their peer relationships, which makes them less likely to be targets of relational and physical victimization. This study helps inform our understanding of the role of parental psychological control in the relation between aggression and peer relationship difficulties.

Technological Addiction in Adolescents: the Interplay Between Parenting and Psychological Basic Needs

Although technological addictions, similar to other behavioural addictions, share psychosocial risk factors with substance-related addictions, the studies on the interplay between contextual and personal variables in the prediction of technological addictions are still limited. For this reason, in accordance with Self-determination Theory (SDT), the aim of this study was to examine the integrated role of parental psychological control and parental autonomy with need satisfaction and need frustration in the understanding of technological addictions (Internet addiction, gaming addiction, smartphone addiction, and social network addiction) in adolescents. Using a sample of 482 adolescents (200 males) with an age range between 14 and 17, path analyses showed that both parental psychological control and need frustration predicted all the technological addictions examined. Furthermore, indirect effects from psychological control to all technological addictions through need frustration were also found. The findings are discussed in line with the SDT.

Muscle Dysmorphia in Adolescence: The Role of Parental Psychological Control on a Potential Behavioral Addiction

The study investigated the relationship between psychological parental control and muscle dysmorphia in adolescence, as form of exercise dependence, focusing also on the role of pathological worry. Participants were 312 adolescents (140 boys and 172 girls) aged 16 to 18 years (M = 17.05; SD = 0.85) and completed the Muscle Dysmorphia Disorder Inventory, the Dependency-oriented and Achievement-oriented Parental Psychological Control, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. The results highlighted that boys showed higher level than girls in dependency-oriented and achievement-oriented parental psychological control and muscle dysmorphia. Furthermore, girls showed higher levels of pathological worry than boys. Pathological worry partially mediated the relationship between dependency-oriented parental psychological control and muscle dysmorphia as well as between achievement-oriented parental psychological and muscle dysmorphia. Psychological parental control predicted muscle dysmorphia, and pathological worry seemed to act as a partial mediator in this relationship. Psychology parental control and pathological worry are linked to muscle dysmorphia, but psychological parental control seems to frustrate the need for autonomy of adolescents and, therefore, muscle dysmorphia may become the maladaptive answer to react to the excessive control of their parents. It seems that body of adolescents may become the scenario towards which they play a sort of power of control to counteract anxiety deriving from the excessive psychological control played by parents.

Overparenting and Narcissism in Young Adults: The Mediating Role of Psychological Control

Overparenting, or “helicopter parenting,” can be generally characterized as parenting that is well-intentioned, but over-involved and intrusive. This style of parenting has been especially highlighted in the lives of young adults, who may be inhibited by this form of parenting in the appropriate development of autonomy and independence. Overparenting shares conceptual similarities with parents’ psychological control practices, which involve emotional and psychological manipulation of children (e.g., inducing guilt, withholding love as a form of control). Although these constructs contain key differences, both have been linked to narcissism in young adults, by way of parental over-involvement in children’s lives. Thus, we sought to explore parental psychological control as a mediator between overparenting and narcissism, including in regard to both grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic phenotypes. Participants included 380 young adult college students (age range: 18–26 years) who completed the Pathological Narcissism Inventory, as well as reports of their parents’ behaviors related to overparenting and psychological control. Mediation analyses through Process in SPSS supported the hypothesized role of parental psychological control as a mediator between overparenting and narcissistic traits, including traits related to both grandiose and vulnerable narcissism. Effect sizes for each analysis were modest. This study further clarifies the nature of overparenting, and speaks to the need for further research in establishing the mechanisms by which overparenting may lead to narcissistic traits among young adults.

Anger Inhibition Moderates the Link Between Parental Psychological Control and Peer Victimization

Studies examining the link between psychological control and peer victimization are limited. The current study extends knowledge of the role of parental psychological control in predicting children’s experiences of peer victimization by longitudinally evaluating the moderating role of emotion inhibition. Gender differences in this effect were also examined. Third-grade and fourth-grade students (N = 177) completed measures at baseline and a 1-year follow-up that assessed demographics, peer victimization, parental psychological control, and anger and sadness inhibition. Parental psychological control predicted peer victimization over a 1-year period, and this relation depended on levels of anger inhibition. That is, at high levels of anger inhibition (+1 SD), parental psychological control showed no associations with peer victimization over time, whereas, at low levels of anger inhibition (−1 SD), parental psychological control was associated with increases in peer victimization. Results were similar across gender. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.

The Role of Parental Psychological Control and Warmth in College Students’ Relational Aggression and Friendship Quality

This study investigated the role of perceived parental psychological control and warmth in college students’ friendship quality and use of relational aggression with peers. College students ( N = 237) completed self-report measures assessing their relational aggression, friendship quality, and parents’ perceived use of psychological control and warmth. As predicted, college students’ relational aggression partially mediated the relation between perceived parental psychological control and friendship quality. Moderation analyses indicated that perceived parental warmth exacerbated the negative effects of perceived parental psychological control on college students’ relational aggression and friendship quality. Thus, perceived parental psychological control is associated with students’ elevated relational aggression and poor friendship quality, especially when parents are viewed as warm as accepting.

Parental Psychological Control, Quality of Family Context and Life Satisfaction Among Italian Adolescents

The aim of the study was to explore the unique and common contributions of parental psychological control and family functioning to global life satisfaction among Italian adolescents while considering the type of parental psychological control: dependencyoriented and achievement-oriented. Two hundred fifty-five adolescents (104 boys and 151 girls) from 15 to 17 years of age (mean age = 15.98, SD = .76) completed self-report measures on perceived parental psychological control, dependency- and achievement-oriented, family functioning and global life satisfaction. Correlation analyses indicated that parental psychological control oriented to both dependency and achievement was negatively related to global life satisfaction, whereas global life satisfaction was significantly and positively related to diverse dimensions of family functioning, such as affective responsiveness and involvement, communication, and general healthy functioning. Regarding the predictive role of parental psychological control on global life satisfaction, both dependency- and achievement-oriented control predicted a low level of life satisfaction, whereas among family-functioning variables, only general healthy functioning and affective involvement predicted a high level of life satisfaction. Finally, data showed a significant effect of the interaction between achievement-oriented psychological control and two dimensions of healthy family functioning in predicting life satisfaction among adolescents, with family general functioning and affective involvement moderating the negative effects of parental psychological control on life satisfaction: at higher levels of parental achievement-oriented psychological control, life satisfaction tended to be higher when family general functioning and affective involvement were high