Journal
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Volume 12, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
FRONTIERS MEDIA SA
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.712087
Keywords
maternal psychological control; adolescent irritability; adolescent effortful control; maternal separation anxiety; inter-parental conflict
Categories
Funding
- Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Cientifico y Tecnologico, Chile (FONDECYT) [11130041, 1201675]
- ANID Millennium Science Initiative/Millennium Institute for Research on Depression and Personality-MIDAP [ICS13_005]
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This study examined the impact of adolescent temperament, maternal separation anxiety, and interparental conflict on maternal psychological control (PC). Findings indicated that adolescent effortful control, maternal anxiety about adolescent distancing, inter-parental conflict, and adolescent frustration were associated with higher levels of maternal PC. Conversely, higher levels of adolescent effortful control were linked to lower levels of maternal PC usage.
Parental psychological control (PC) hinders the development of autonomy, identity formation, and the attainment of self-determination and individuation of adolescents. The aim of this study was to deepen the understanding of which conditions increase the risk of the use of maternal PC by simultaneously considering the contribution of adolescent temperament, maternal separation anxiety, and adolescents' perception of interparental conflict. A correlational study involving a sample of 106 Chilean adolescent-mother dyads was done. Adolescents were, on average, 15.42 years old (SD = 1.09) and 77% male. Mothers were, on average, 45.46 years old (SD = 6.39). We administered self-report questionnaires to the adolescent measuring effortful control and frustration as temperamental dimensions, along with the perception of interparental conflict. Mothers reported on their separation anxiety. Both the adolescents and their mothers reported on the use of maternal PC. Adolescents reported higher levels of maternal PC than their mothers did. All predictors were associated with PC reports. Higher levels of maternal anxiety about adolescent distancing, inter-parental conflict, and adolescent frustration were associated with higher reported levels of PC. In contrast, higher levels of adolescent effortful control were associated with lower levels of maternal PC. Finally, when maternal separation anxiety and inter-parental conflict were high there was a higher use of maternal PC. The present findings inform on how adolescent's self-regulatory skills could reduce the risk of being exposed to maternal PC. And highlight the importance of using a systemic and interactional conceptualization when trying to understand their use.
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