ADOLESCENTS' OBLIGATION TO PARENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF PARENTAL PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTROL AND AUTONOMY SUPPORT: IMPLICATIONS FOR ACADEMIC FUNCTIONING

Abstract

This research examined Chinese and American adolescents’ feelings of obligations in early adolescence and its interaction with the parenting characteristics of parental psychological control and autonomy support, with an emphasis on its implications for adolescents’ academic functioning. Over the seventh and eighth grade, 934 adolescents (mean age = 12.65 years) from China and the United States reported on their feelings of obligation towards their parents, their parents’ parenting characteristics of parental psychological control and autonomy support and their academic functioning. It was found that, in both China and the United States, obligation was predictive of adolescents’ academic functioning six months later. Additionally, moderating effects were found. For American adolescents who perceived low levels of parental psychological control, obligation towards parents predicted academic engagement six months later. Furthermore, for both Chinese and American adolescents who perceived high levels of parental autonomy support, obligation towards parents predicted how much they valued school a year later. These findings highlight the idea that a low level of parental psychological control and a high level of parental autonomy support are required before adolescents can reap the advantages of a high level of obligation to parents on academic functioning.