Low Parental Control Predicts Healthy Separation-Individuation Among Diverse College Students Regardless of Generational Status

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Becoming an adult involves separating psychologically from parents, a process referred to as “separation-individuation” (Hoffman, 1984). Healthy separation-individuation is thought to contribute to lower psychological distress and greater interpersonal well-being (Radmacher & Azmitia, 2016). High levels of parental control have been found to be associated with college students reporting more problems balancing independence and connectedness (Kins et al., 2011, 2012). First-generation college students face the unique challenge of navigating college responsibilities without the help of experienced family members. They are thought to be at risk for internalizing symptoms and academic problems (Collier & Morgan, 2007). Parents who did not attend college may perceive greater stress during the college separation-individuation process and respond by being more controlling compared with parents who completed college. Living with a controlling parent during the transition to college may be especially challenging. For these reasons, we expected that pathology of separation-individuation and anxious/depressed symptoms would be significantly associated with higher perceived parental psychological control, having first-generation college status, and residing with one’s family of origin.

College students (N=242; ages 18–25 years; M=19.45, SD=1.67; 81.0% women) from a large Midwestern university were recruited through psychology courses. The sample was diverse (42.1% White/Caucasian; 18.6% Asian/Pacific Islander; 17.4% Middle Eastern; 11.2% Black/African American; 5% Latinx/Hispanic, and 5.8% mixed ethnicity and unspecified), and many (42.6%) identified as first-generation college students. Over half of the respondents (66.5%) resided with their family of origin, nearly half (49.2%) reported that they were bilingual, and 16.5% indicated a nation of origin other than the United States. The survey included 16 items related to perceived maternal and paternal psychological control (Barber, 1996; Cronbach's alpha=.88 and .90, respectively; example: [My mother/father] Is always trying to change how I feel or think about things), 31 items related to pathology of separation-individuation (Christenson & Wilson, 1985; Lapsley et al., 2001; Cronbach's alpha=.91; example: I am tempted to try to control other people in order to keep them close to me), and 18 items assessing anxious/depressed symptoms (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2003; Cronbach's alpha=.93; example: I feel worthless or inferior).

Results from regression models including perceived maternal and paternal psychological control, living situation, and generational status showed that perceived parental psychological control were positively and significantly associated with pathology of separation-individuation [maternal: t(211)=3.769, p<.0001; paternal: t(211)=2.977, p=.003] and anxious/depressed symptoms [maternal: t(214)=5.943, p<.0001; paternal: t(214)=2.395, p=.017]. Generational status was marginally significantly associated with anxious/depressed symptoms [t(214)=-1.765, p=.079]. Contrary to predictions, first-generation college students reported lower symptoms than continuing-generation students. Finally, further analysis through independent samples t-tests showed that college students living at home reported higher perceived paternal psychological control (M=1.60; SD=.59) than students living away from home (M=1.43; SD=.55), t(178.761)=2.222, p=.028. The results suggest that parents’ psychologically controlling behavior may influence a young adult’s psychological distress as well as the process of developing healthy independence and relationship with others; however, being a first-generation college student was not found to be a risk factor as it was not associated significantly with controlling parenting or separation-individuation problems.

Authors

• Velinka Marton, Wayne State University
  Presenting Author

• Bridget Murphy, UTHealth San Antonio
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mareena Atalla, Wayne State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Da' Jonae Foster, Wayne State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ana Daugherty, Wayne State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Douglas Barnett, Wayne State University
  Non-Presenting Author