The unique effects of parental control from fathers on self-determination in Chinese middle school adolescents

Abstract

Self-determination is one of the significant and positive developmental outcomes during adolescence. Among the antecedents of self-determination, parental control may be critical based on ecological systems theory. However, the relationship between fathers’ parental control and adolescents’ self-determination is little known. The present study aimed to examine the unique effects of fathers’ psychological and behavioral control on adolescents’ self-determination. A total of 916 middle school students aged 11–15 from China reported their sex, age, self-determination and their fathers’ background information, psychological control, behavioral control. Our results revealed that, after controlling for mothers’ psychological control and behavioral control, fathers’ psychological control was negatively related to Chinese middle school adolescents’ self-determination, and fathers’ behavioral control was positively related to adolescents’ self-determination. Additionally, the effect of fathers’ psychological control on boys’ self-determination was greater than girls. These results indicated the unique effects of fathers’ psychological control and fathers’ behavioral control on their Chinese middle school adolescents’ self-determination, clarifying sex differences in these effects. Findings of this study may add to the emerging discourse on middle school adolescents’ self-determination and improve Chinese fathers’ parenting intervention.