Psychology

Parental autonomy support in two cultures: The moderating effects of adolescents’ self-construals

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Parental autonomy support has been related to positive adolescent outcomes, however, its relation to outcomes in collectivist cultural groups is unclear. This study examined relations of specific autonomy supportive behaviors and outcomes among 401 adolescents (M age = 12.87) from the United States (N = 245) and collectivist-oriented Ghana (N = 156). It also examined whether adolescents’ self-construals moderated the relations of specific types of autonomy support with outcomes. Factor analyses indicated two types of autonomy support: perspective taking/open exchange and allowance of decision making/choice. In both countries, perspective taking/open exchange predicted positive outcomes, but decision making/choice only did so in the United States. With regard to moderation, the more independent adolescents’ self-construals, the stronger the relations of decision making/choice to parental controllingness and school engagement.

Publication Title

Child Development

Publication Date

2019

Volume

90

Issue

3

First Page

825

Last Page

845

ISSN

0009-3920

DOI

10.1111/cdev.12947

Keywords

parental autonomy support, school engagement, adolescents’ self‐construals

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