Psychology

Evaluative pressure in mothers: Effects of situation, maternal, and child characteristics on autonomy supportive versus controlling behavior

Document Type

Article

Abstract

This study examined the effects of situational pressure and maternal characteristics (social contingent self-worth, controlling parenting attitudes) on mothers' autonomy support versus control in the social domain. Sixty 4th-grade children and their mothers worked on a laboratory task in preparation for meeting new children, with mothers in either an evaluation (mothers told their child would be evaluated by other children) or no-evaluation (no mention of evaluation) condition. Mothers in the evaluation condition spent more time giving answers to their children. Mothers with controlling parenting attitudes exhibited more controlling behavior. Further, mothers with high social contingent self-worth in the evaluation condition were most controlling. Results suggest the importance of interactions between situations and maternal characteristics in determining levels of mothers' autonomy support versus control and have implications for helping parents support children's autonomy. © 2007 American Psychological Association.

Publication Title

Developmental Psychology

Publication Date

2007

Volume

43

Issue

4

First Page

991

Last Page

1002

ISSN

0012-1649

DOI

10.1037/0012-1649.43.4.991

Keywords

evaluative pressure in mothers, maternal autonomy support versus control, predictors of parenting

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