Gender as a Moderator in the Association Between Parental Psychological Control and Chinese Adolescent Depression

• In Event: Parental Psychological Control or Autonomy Granting and Child Outcomes Across Age and Gender in China

Abstract

According to Interpersonal Acceptance-Rejection Theory (IPARTheory, Rohner, 1980; 2016), parental psychological control is characterized as intrusive and rejecting behaviors that lead to psychological maladjustment for adolescents (e.g. Nigela, Xia, Yan, & Li, 2015; Sun, Li, Ma, & Fu, 2019). In China, studies find that parental psychological control is positively related to adolescent depressive symptoms (e.g. Nigela, Xia, Yan, & Li, 2015; Sun, Li, Ma, & Fu, 2019), and that girls report greater depressive symptoms than boys (Gong, 2013). Research conducted in China, however, has focused on mother’s use of psychological control, overlooking the important influence of fathers. Thus, the current study examines: (1) the association between mother’s and father’s psychological control and depressive symptoms of Chinese adolescents; and (2) how this association may differ across varying gender-dyads.

Method

Participants included 3254 Chinese adolescents (46.5% male; 53.5% female) in middle schools and high schools in southern China (Mage = 15.20, SD = 1.66). Parental psychological control was assessed using a combination of items from two measures: Parental Behavior Inventory (CRPBI, 1965) and Psychological Control Scale (Barber, 1996; Barber, et al., 2005; αmother= 0.92, αfather= 0.93). Depressive symptoms were assessed using The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-Revised (CESD-R, Eaton, Muntaner, Smith, Tien, & Ybarra, 2004; α=0.94).

Data Analysis and Results

To account for missing data, 10 imputations were generated using the study variables and additional auxiliary variables (Enders, 2010). Pooled values were calculated for the target variables using SPSS version 25. T-test results revealed that adolescent reports of mother control were significantly greater than reports of father control (p<0.01). Moreover, boys reported more mother and father control compared to girls, while girls reported more depressive symptoms than boys (p<0.01). After controlling for participants’ school grade level, siblings, location, and parents’ education, multiple regression analyses revealed that both mother control and father control were positively associated with adolescent’s depressive symptoms, and the relations were moderated by adolescent’s gender (see Table 1; Table 2). The positive association between mother and father control and depressive symptoms were stronger for girls than for boys (see Fig. 1 & Fig. 2). Thus, even though boys reported more mother and father control than girls, the relation between mother/father control and depressive symptoms was strongest for girls.

Discussion

Study findings extend knowledge on parental psychological control and family gender dynamics in China. Mental health practitioners who work with Chinese adolescents should consider both mother’s and father’s use of psychological control. Family prevention programs in China seeking to support the mental health of adolescents should focus on helping parents decrease their use of psychological control, especially within mother-daughter and father-daughter relationships.

Authors

• Yuan Zhang, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author

• Linda C. Halgunseth, Michigan State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hao Wu, Other ( Guangzhou Medical University)
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shanhong Luo, University of North Carolina Wilmington
  Non-Presenting Author