Incorporating adolescents' interpretations and feelings about parents into models of parental control

Abstract: Much of research on parental control has focused on how parents can effectively regulate their adolescents. Barber contributed to this by theorizing that there are two types of control that have import during adolescence: behavioral and psychological control. In his framework, the absence of behavioral control increases adolescents’ externalizing because adolescents’ self-regulation is not promoted, whereas the presence of psychological control increases adolescents’ internalizing problems, through impinging on their psychological and emotional well-being. These conceptualizations, however, focus on parents’ actions, goals, and intentions. Little attention has been given to how adolescents interpret and respond to control in light of their own needs and goals. In this dissertation, a model was tested in which adolescents’ interpretations and responses reflecting their psychological needs are the intermediate processes linking control and adjustment. Using experimental methods, Study I revealed that adolescents interpret parental control. Contrary to Barber’s ideas, adolescents interpreted both high levels of behavioral control and psychological control equally negatively. Compared to moderate levels, adolescents viewed high levels as meaning that parents were being intrusive, and that adolescents were less competent and mattered less to parents. In Study II and III, the full model was tested. The results were consistent with the proposal that when control leads to youths feeling more over-controlled or less connected to their parents, their adjustment suffers. Thus, the effects of control were mediated by adolescents’ responses. In addition, this process depended on adolescents’ age and gender, as well as their acceptance of parental authority. Older adolescents, boys, and those who accept less parental authority tended to view control more negatively than younger adolescents, girls, and those who accept less authority. Across the three studies, the results suggest that when youths’ needs are taken into account, behavioral control acts much like psychological control, impeding adolescents’ adjustment. Discussion focuses on the implications for further research on parental control. It is concluded that it is important to consider adolescents’ perspectives or agency in theoretical accounts of parental control. Parents can only try to control their adolescents, and their success or failure should be viewed as a joint process involving both parents and their adolescents.