Parental autonomy support and parental psychological control perceptions: a study with Spanish school-aged children

• Published in: The educational and developmental psychologist 2024-07, Vol.41 (2), p.129-140
• Main Authors: Rodríguez-Menéndez, Carmen, Fernández-García, Carmen M, Rivoir-González, María Elena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Parents & parenting; Well being
• ISSN: 2059-0776; 2059-0784
• DOI: 10.1080/20590776.2024.2322751

ObjectiveThe present study examined the antecedents and consequences of perceived parental autonomy support and psychological control. More specifically, we had three aims: a) to investigate the associations between parents’ expectations and beliefs about parenting and perceived parental autonomy support and psychological control; b) to analyse the relationships between the perceived parenting strategies (autonomy support and psychological control) and children’s outcomes: prosocial competence, emotional stability, and verbal and physical aggression and c) to test differences based on parents’ and children’s gender.MethodThe participants comprised 2,396 parents from Spain (1,164 fathers and 1,232 mothers) with diverse levels of qualification, professional and civil status and 1,325 children (637 boys and 685 girls) aged between 7 and 13 years old.ResultsPerceive parental autonomy support was positively correlated with children’s prosocial behaviour and competence: being more likely to engage in behaviours to achieve other people’s improvement or well – being. In contrast, perceived parental psychological control was positively correlated with emotional instability, and physical and emotional aggression, that is children will be more likely to develop emotional adjustment problems. Besides, we found a positive association between some negative parenting beliefs and perceived parental psychological control, and we found positive association between some positive parenting beliefs and perceived parental autonomy support. Women scoring significantly higher than men in all associations between parenting beliefs and perceived parenting autonomy support and psychological control. No relationship was found between parental separation anxiety and perceived parental autonomy support or control.ConclusionsThe results confirmed the importance of the role of parenting practices defined by SDT in children’s development.