Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater: applying the principle of ‘universalism without uniformity' to autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting

Socialization scholars differ in how they view parenting processes: On one hand, scholars working from the perspective of the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) underscore the universally growth-promoting role of parenting that is perceived to support autonomy and the universal costs associated with parenting that is perceived as controlling. On the other hand, scholars adopting a more relativistic perspective focus on moderating factors (e.g., personality, culture) that may reduce or even cancel out the benefits of parents' support of autonomy and the costs of controlling parenting. In this article, we apply the principle of universalism without uniformity to this literature and review evidence for this principle. Specifically, we maintain that room for individual differences exists within SDT in children's appraisal of potentially autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting practices, and in the way they cope with controlling parenting. This perspective emphasizes children's active contribution in shaping the socialization process

Parents and their child, a co-op game or not: outcomes of (in)appropriate parental mediation

status: accepte

On the association between adolescent autonomy and psychosocial functioning: examining decisional independence from a self-determination theory perspective

In the present study, we focus on the concept of adolescent autonomy and its relation with psychosocial functioning. Specifically, we aim to differentiate between 2 prevailing conceptualizations of autonomy, that is, (a) autonomy defined as independence versus dependence and (b) autonomy defined as self-endorsed versus controlled functioning. A 2nd goal is to examine the relative contribution of each autonomy operationalization in the prediction of adolescents' adjustment (i.e., well-being, problem behavior, and intimacy). Data were gathered in a sample of 707 Belgian adolescents. Using a newly developed questionnaire, we assessed both the degree of independent decision making per se and the self-endorsed versus controlled motives underlying both independent and dependent decision making. The degree of independent decision making could clearly be differentiated from the underlying motives for doing so. Moreover, independent decision making as such showed unique associations with more problem behavior. Further, as expected, self-endorsed motives for both independent and dependent decision making generally related to an adaptive pattern of psychosocial functioning, and controlled motives were associated with maladjustment. The discussion focuses on the difference between the 2 perspectives on autonomy and on the different meaning of the motives underlying independent, relative to dependent, decision making

Perceived maternal autonomy-support and early adolescent emotion regulation: a longitudinal study

This study investigated longitudinal associations between perceived maternal autonomy-supportive parenting and early adolescents' use of three emotion regulation (ER) styles: emotional integration, suppressive regulation, and dysregulation. We tested whether perceived maternal autonomy support predicted changes in ER and whether these ER styles, in turn, related to changes in adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-esteem). Participants (N= 311, mean age at Time 1 = 12.04) reported on perceived maternal autonomy support, their ER styles, and adjustment at two moments in time, spanning a one-year interval. Cross-lagged analyses showed that perceived maternal autonomy support predicted increases in emotional integration and decreases in suppressive regulation. By contrast, emotional dysregulation predicted decreases in perceived autonomy-supportive parenting. Further, increases in emotional integration were predictive of increases in self-esteem, and decreases in suppressive regulation were predictive of decreases in depressive symptoms. Together, the results show that early adolescents' perception of their mothers as autonomy-supportive is associated with increases in adaptive ER strategies and subsequent adjustment

Examining the longitudinal association between oppositional defiance and autonomy in adolescence

In this longitudinal study, we tested whether the association between oppositional defiance to parental authority (i.e., adolescents' tendency to bluntly reject parental rules) and autonomy would depend upon the specific conceptualization of autonomy. Whereas oppositional defiance would yield more interpersonal distance from parents, because it involves turning away from parental authority, it would also yield less volitional functioning, as oppositional defiance would come at the expense of acting upon one's personal values and interests. A sample of 387 middle and late adolescents (age range = 14-20 years at Time 1) filled out questionnaires at 2 time points, separated by a 2-year interval. With increasing age, adolescents reported less oppositional defiance and more volitional functioning. Late adolescents in particular reported less interpersonal distance from their parents. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that oppositional defiance predicted increases in interpersonal distance as well as decreases in volitional functioning across time. Conversely, higher scores on volitional functioning predicted decreases in oppositional defiance. These findings emphasize the necessity of a differentiated approach to autonomy

The body perfect ideal and eating regulation goals: investigating the role of adolescents' identity styles

Adolescents are exposed to images depicting the thin or muscular ideal almost on a daily basis. When the body perfect ideal is adopted, adolescents are at increased risk for developing unhealthy and disordered eating behaviors. The aim of the current 3-wave longitudinal study among adolescents (N = 418; 54 % girls) was to investigate whether different styles of identity exploration (i.e., information-oriented, normative, and diffuse-avoidant) are associated differentially with changes in adoption of the body perfect ideal, which, in turn, would relate to changes in appearance-focused and health-focused eating regulation. Results indicated that the information-oriented style predicted decreases and the normative style predicted increases in adoption of the body perfect ideal. In turn, adoption of the body perfect ideal predicted significant increases in appearance-focused eating regulation but not in health-focused eating regulation. A diffuse-avoidant style was unrelated to changes in adoption of the body perfect, yet directly predicted decreases in health-focused eating regulation. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed