2-102 - Toward a deeper understanding of parental autonomy-support and control: Components and complexities across context and culture

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

Numerous studies suggest that autonomy-supportive parenting practices promote optimal adolescent functioning whereas controlling practices undermine adolescents' functioning. However, there is not enough evidence concerning the ways in which different components of autonomy-support and control affect adolescents' adjustment across countries, socio-economic strata (SES), specific stressful situations, and youth adjustment-levels. Moreover, little is known regarding the processes mediating and moderating the effects of these practices. To address these gaps, we will present data from four countries, collected via novel quantitative vignette-techniques, qualitative methods and self-reports.

The first paper studied parental autonomy-support in Ghana and the US and suggests that some forms of autonomy-support may be universal while others may be culture-specific and moderated by adolescents’ self-construal. The second paper explored Israeli adolescents’ perceptions of six types of maternal responses to the onset of risk behavior, paying special attention to three types of response reflecting moderate control. Results suggest that across SES levels, maternal autonomy-support, unlike moderate control, facilitates cessation of risk-behavior and self-disclosure to mothers. The third paper examined referred and non-referred youth in Belgium, and documented that psychologically controlling parenting, even if moderate in magnitude, is harmful for both groups. Importantly, the study sheds light on the processes underlying this link, suggesting that parental control undermines youth adjustment by frustrating youth's need for autonomy.

These findings will be discussed by an expert on parent-adolescent relationships coming from a different theoretical perspective than the other participants, thus offering an opportunity for a critical analysis of findings, concepts, and underlying assumptions.

Sub Unit

• Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Chair

• Efrat Sher-Censor, University of Haifa

Discussant

• Lauree C. Tilton-Weaver, Örebro University

Individual Presentations

• Effects of parental autonomy support in two cultures: Moderating effect of children’s self-construals - Presenting Author: Kristine Marbell, Clark University; Wendy S Grolnick, Clark Univ

• How should parents react to the onset of their adolescents' risk-behavior? The adolescent perspective - Presenting Author: Avi Assor, Ben-Gurion University; Noam Yitshaki, Ben-Gurion University; Efrat Sher-Censor, University of Haifa

• Do youngsters with behavioral problems benefit from controlling parenting? - Presenting Author: Maarten Vansteenkiste, University of Ghent; Bart Soenens, University of Ghent; Stijn Van Petegem, Ghent University