Maternal achievement-oriented psychological control: Implications for adolescent academic contingent self-esteem and mathematics anxiety

Abstract

Using random intercept cross-lagged panel analysis, this study examined the longitudinal relations of mathematics anxiety to maternal achievement-oriented psychological control and academic contingent self-esteem in 336 Chinese adolescents from the age of 13 to 17. Results showed that, at the between-person level, adolescents who perceived their mothers as more psychologically controlling in achievement domains over time were also the ones with higher levels of academic contingent self-esteem and mathematics anxiety, compared with other adolescents. Our within-person analyses are in line with the within-person hypotheses that underline self-determination theory: adolescents’ perceptions of maternal achievement-oriented psychological control were linked to mathematics anxiety through academic contingent self-esteem. We also found that the association between maternal achievement-oriented psychological control and mathematics anxiety was bidirectional, which supports the transactional perspective of parental influence. This study contributes to the literature by elucidating potential processes and reciprocal associations involved in parental psychological control, academic contingent self-esteem, and mathematics anxiety.

Still worried? Parental control and academic competence as antecedents of middle school students' post‐transition worries

“…Feeling pressured to fulfill their parents' standards and to avoid parental love withdrawal, shame or guilt induction, children are more likely to feel more anxious in face of an imminent change such as school transition. Change might mean novelty and uncertainty, raising the question if children would be able to successfully adjust and satisfy their parents' expectations (Ching et al., 2021; Soenens & Vansteenkiste, 2020). Furthermore, perceived dependency‐oriented PPC was positively related to children's level of post‐transition worries; those perceiving their parents as being more psychologically controlling on the relational dimension also expressed higher levels of worries closely after transition.…”

“…Thus, parents relying on greater psychologically controlling parenting such as love withdrawal, shame, and guilt are likely to have children more prone to developing an academic contingent self‐esteem, in which a general sense of personal worth is derived mostly from successfully meeting the others' expectations. This introjection of external standards may make children more vulnerable and sensitive to their parents' feedback, and may also elevate their academic‐related anxieties (Ching et al., 2021; Kernis et al., 2000; Scharf et al., 2016). To further contribute to the existing literature, our longitudinal study examines the links between perceived PPC and children's academic self‐concept after middle school transition.…”

Intrusiveness and Emotional Manipulation as Facets of Parental Psychological Control: A Culturally and Developmentally Sensitive Reconceptualization

“…Dozens of articles -75 articles among 755 articles we identified on PPChave cited the relativistic argument that PPC could be less damaging in interdependent cultures than independent cultures (Abd-El-Fattah & Abdulrahman Fakhroo, 2012; Ahmad et al, 2013;Akcinar & Baydar, 2014;Basili et al, 2021;Bullock et al, 2018;Chao & Aque, 2009;Cheah et al, 2019;Chen et al, 2016;Chen et al, 2021;Chen-Bouck et al, 2019;Chen-Bouck & Patterson, 2020;Ching et al, 2021;Chou & Chou, 2018;Chyung et al, 2021;Davidov et al, 2021;Doan et al, 2017;Fang et al, 2021;Fung et al, 2017;Gao et al, 2021Gao et al, , 2022Gargurevich & Soenens, 2016;Grolnick, 2012;He et al, 2019;Henry et al, 2018;Hsieh, 2020;Kakihara & Tilton-Weaver, 2009;Kho et al, 2019;Kim et al, 2017;Kins et al, 2012;Lau & Fung, 2013;Lau et al, 2022;Li et al, 2016;Li et al, 2018;Li et al, 2020;Liga et al, 2017;Lin et al, 2022a;Liu et al, 2019;Loeb et al, 2021a;Louie et al, 2013;…”

Trajectories of Self-Esteem Development for Adolescence Based on China Family Panel Studies: A Piecewise Growth Mixture Model Analysis

“…Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a longitudinal study on the self-esteem development of adolescents and explore the development trajectory of self-esteem. Most longitudinal studies focus on the cross-lagged relationship between self-esteem and other variables (Ching, 2021; Krauss, 2020; Yang, 2021; Yu, 2021), which help us understand the influence mechanism of self-esteem, but cannot explore the development trajectory. Some about trajectory focus on the development trend.…”