Poster #156 - Relationship of Psychological and Behavioral Control with Adolescent Maladjustment: Explanatory Role of Appraisal of Control

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Parenting & Parent-Child Relationships

Integrative Statement

Cultural relevance of parental control constructs such as psychological and behavioral control and also their influences on adolescent adjustment have been argued by scholars. Although there have been some studies investigating cultural generalizability of these parental control constructs, there is scarcity of research examining the mechanisms between parental control and adolescent adjustment especially out of Western societies. Therefore, the goal of current study was to contribute to the literature by investigating adolescents’ appraisals of PC and BC in a relatively collectivistic society. More specifically, it was aimed to explore the mediating role of negative parental control appraisals (i.e., appraising PC/BC behaviors as intrusive, as an indication of less mattering to their mothers, and feeling angry and sad) in the association of maternal psychological and behavioral control with adolescent anxiety/depression and aggression. A total of 730 Turkish adolescents (Mage = 13.96, SD = .94) and their mothers (Mage = 40.78, SD = 5.1) were recruited in the present study. Adolescents completed measures of PC, BC, negative appraisal of PC/BC practices (via vignettes), and mothers filled in measures of adolescent anxiety/depression and aggression. Results of separate Structural Equation Modelling analyses showed that PC was positively related to negative appraisal of PC practices, which in turn positively related to adolescent anxiety/depression and aggressive behaviors. Whereas, BC was negatively related to negative appraisal of BC practices, and negative appraisal of BC practices was positively associated with adolescent anxiety/depression and aggressive behaviors. Adding direct paths from PC/BC to anxiety/depression and aggression did not significantly improve the fit of the model. The test of indirect effects analyses revealed that PC/BC was indirectly related with adolescent anxiety/depression and aggression via negative appraisal of PC/BC practices. Moreover, multiple group SEM analyses showed that these revealed relationships did not differ across gender. Taken together, the present findings imply that appraisal of PC/BC practices is an important intervening mechanism in the link between PC/BC and adolescent maladjustment indicating the importance of exploring the adolescent perspective. Both female and male adolescents tend to appraise psychologically controlling behaviors adversely. However, it seems that they are more likely to evaluate BC behaviors as an indication of parental concern for their well-being in Turkish context. Finally, when controlling practices are evaluated in an oppositional way then they are more likely to result in adolescent maladjustment.

Authors

• Sule Selcuk, Hacettepe University
  Presenting Author

• Zehra Ucanok, Hacettepe University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Melike Sayil, TED University
  Non-Presenting Author