A Cross-cultural Investigation of Parental Overparenting and Psychological Well-being of Young Adult Children

• In Event: Global Perspectives on Parenting and Parent-Child Relationships

Abstract

Parental overparenting has been linked to problems in young adult children’s well-being (e.g., Hong et al., 2020). However, little is known about the potential cultural similarities and differences across cultures. China provides an ideal comparison because Chinese parents are known for intensive parenting, and intergenerational connectedness is highly valued in Chinese families.

Based on self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2017) and cultural-ecological perspective (Garcia Coll et al., 1996), we hypothesized that, in both China and the U.S., overparenting would be associated with children’s basic psychological needs frustration (for autonomy, competence, and relatedness), which, in turn, related to problems in psychological well-being (H1: mediation hypothesis). Further, due to the varying degrees of the functional significance of the basic needs across cultures (e.g., relatedness is valued more in China), the strength of the associations between overparenting and needs satisfaction/frustration could be different between the U.S. and China (H2: moderation hypothesis).

Participants were college students recruited from the U.S. (N = 414) and China (N = 612) (see Table 1). Students completed an online survey. Measures included Helicopter Parenting Scale (LeMoyne & Buchanan, 2011; α = .69 -.76 for mother and father), Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction/Frustration Scale (Gagné, 2003; α = .66 - .84), and psychological well-being problems as a latent construct with three indicators—depressive symptoms (CES-D, Radloff, 1977; α = 82-.85), anxiety (BAI, Beck, et al., 1988; α = .85-.90), and life dissatisfaction (SWLS, Diener, et al., 1985; α = .86-.90). Demographic information (i.e., age, gender, race/ethnicity, family structure, and family income) were also reported.

Structural equation modeling (SEM) with FIML was used to test the hypotheses. The model for each sample showed reasonable fit (see Figure 1, significant covariates were included, path not shown for clearer presentation). To test the mediation effect (H1), a bootstrapping procedure was performed. For the U.S. sample, results suggested overparenting was related to well-being problems through frustration of needs for autonomy (b = .09, p < .01 for mother; b = .08, p < .001 for father) and competence (b = .13, p < .001 for mother; b = .12, p < .001 for father), but not through relatedness. For the Chinese sample, overparenting was related to well-being problems through frustration of all three needs: autonomy (b = .21, p < .001 for mother; b = .17, p < .001 for father), competence (b = .05, p < .01 for mother; b = .05, p < .01 for father), and relatedness (b = .03, p < .05 for mother; b = .03, p < .05 for father).

To test the cultural differences (H2), multiple-group SEM was performed across cultures. The significant chi-square changes suggested that the association between maternal overparenting and relatedness needs frustration was stronger among American young adults than among Chinese young adults (Δχ2(1) = 5.86, p < .05).

The findings revealed both cultural similarities and differences in the effects of overparenting on young adults’ psychological well-being. Future research needs to explore longitudinal effects and to extend current research to more cultures.

Authors

• Peipei Hong, Zhejiang University
  Presenting Author

• Ming Cui, Florida State University
  Non-Presenting Author