PARENTAL REGARD AND TEACHING APPROACHES ON FEAR OF FAILURE IN SINGAPOREAN EMERGING ADULTS: MEDIATING ROLE OF GOAL ORIENTATIONS.

Abstract

The current study explores the formation of fear of failure (FoF) in Singaporean emerging adults. Building upon existing research on the effects of parenting practices, teaching approaches and goal orientations on motivation and school adjustment, two mediation models outlining the development of FoF are tested. In these mediation models, parenting practices (i.e., conditional positive, conditional negative, and unconditional positive regard) and teaching approaches (i.e., constructivist and direct teaching approach) in adolescence were hypothesised to affect FoF in emerging adulthood through goal orientations (i.e., performance or mastery). Correlational and cross-sectional research methods were employed, and 296 emerging adults, aged 18-25, enrolled in institutes of higher education in Singapore were recruited for this investigation. This study found support for the mediating role of performance goal orientation in the effects of fathers’ conditional parenting, and support for the predictive power of performance and mastery goal orientations. Our findings also suggest that mothers’ effects on FoF operate through mechanisms other than goal orientations. Finally, our study revealed no support for the effects of teaching approaches in adolescence on FoF in emerging adulthood. Possible explanations, theoretical links, and opportunities for future research are discussed.