A self-determination theory perspective on parenting.

Abstract

This article describes research on parenting that supports children's need for autonomy. First, the authors define parental autonomy support and distinguish it from permissiveness or independence promotion. The authors also define psychologically controlling parenting and distinguish it from bevavioral control (structure). Second, the authors present studies examining how parental autonomy support promotes healthy development. Indeed, clear and consistent positive effects arise from different types of studies, conducted with children of various ages. Parent observation studies suggest that parental autonomy support is associated with infants' motivation and toddlers' internalization. Parent interview studies reveal that an autonomy-supportive parental attitude relates to children's adjustment at school. Children self-report studies demonstrate a clear link between perceptions of parental autonomy support and psychosocial functioning amongst adolescents. Third, the correlates and precursors of parental psychological control and autonomy support are presented, with a special focus on parents' trust in their children's ability to develop in an autonomous manner. Finally, ideas for future research are suggested. Although self-determination theory is not strictly a developmental theory, it seems highly pertinent to the socialization of children, their internalization and development.

Lessons learned from a family-focused weight management intervention for obese and overweight children

“…SDT has been used successfully in the context of childhood weight management (31)(32)(33) , and findings from these studies suggest individuals are more likely to sustain behaviour if the intervention supports their needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness. A recent qualitative study suggests that conflicting messages from family and friends can undermine this motivation (34) .…”

The Role of Parental Achievement Goals in Predicting Autonomy-Supportive and Controlling Parenting

“…In conclusion, understanding the reasons why some parents engage in more controlling, and less autonomysupportive, parenting is an essential step to help parents nurture children's optimal functioning and prevent important adjustment problems (see Barber 2002;Grolnick 2003;Joussemet et al 2008a;Moreau and Mageau 2013, for reviews). This study suggests that parental performanceapproach goals are a risk factor for controlling parenting in addition to being a potential obstacle to acknowledging adolescents' feelings, a central autonomy-supportive behavior.…”

“…Autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting have been repeatedly linked to children's social, academic and psychological adjustment (Grolnick and Pomerantz 2009;Joussemet et al 2008a;Moreau and Mageau 2013). However, fewer studies have focused on the determinants of these parenting dimensions.…”

“…It also significantly predicts internalized problems (Fauber et al 1990) such as childhood anxiety (Ballash et al 2006;Rapee 1997;Wood et al 2003), depression (Barber 1996;McCranie and Bass 1984;Miller et al 1990;Soenens et al 2008a, b), and lower self-esteem (Conger et al 1997;Garber et al 1997;Silk et al 2003). Given the robust linkage between more autonomy-supportive (and less controlling) parenting and children's and adolescents' psychological adjustment (Joussemet et al 2008a;Moreau and Mageau 2013), it is imperative to uncover the facilitating and impeding factors of these parenting behaviors.…”

“…Parental autonomy support has been linked to positive outcomes at different developmental stages (see Joussemet et al 2008a;Moreau and Mageau 2013, for reviews) such as a more secure attachment style (Whipple et al 2011) and better executive functioning (Bernier et al 2010) in toddlers, higher social and academic adjustments in elementary school children (Bronstein et al 1996;Grolnick and Ryan 1989;Joussemet et al 2005), and higher well-being (Downie et al 2007;Niemiec et al 2006;Soenens et al 2007), more life satisfaction (Sheldon et al 2009) and less health-risk behaviors (Williams et al 2000) in adolescence. Importantly, research based on experimental designs has also shown that autonomy-supportive limit-setting facilitates internalization of societal values and expectations compared to controlling conditions, while preserving intrinsic motivation and creativity (Joussemet et al 2004;Koestner et al 1984).…”