Effects of childhood aggression on parenting during adolescence: the role of parental psychological need satisfaction

Abstract

The current study examined the explanatory role of satisfaction of parental psychological needs in effects of childhood aggression on various adolescent-perceived parenting behaviors in middle adolescence. Research questions were examined in a large multi-informant, prospective community study of ethnic majority Belgian families (N=609, 49.7% girls). Aggression was rated by parents when children were in middle childhood (M-age=7.5 years) using the Child Behavior Checklist. Parents reported on satisfaction of their needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness when children were in preadolescence (M-age=10.5 years) and early adolescence (M-age=13.5 years) using the Parenting Stress Index. Parenting behaviors were rated by adolescents in early adolescence (M-age=13.5 years) and in middle adolescence (M-age=15.5 years), using the Parenting Scale (overreactive discipline), the Psychological Control Scale, Youth Self-Report (psychological control), and the Parenting Practices Questionnaire (warmth). Mediation of associations from aggression to parenting by parents' psychological needs was examined using multiple mediation structural equation modeling analyses. Childhood aggression was related to decreased satisfaction of parents' needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy in early adolescence. Satisfaction of parents' needs for relatedness and, to a lesser extent, competence affected later parenting, and satisfaction of all three needs affected changes in parenting. Relations were specific for the different parenting constructs but similar across parental gender. Targeting parents' psychological needs may aid effectiveness of interventions that are aimed at decreasing (psychologically, overreactive) controlling parenting and at increasing supportive parenting