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Parental psychological control and mutually autonomous relationships in emerging adulthood: Emotional valence as a moderator

Swanson, Julie A.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1249563427

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Psychology.
The present study tested the hypotheses that parental psychological control would be linked to emerging adults’ use of relational styles characterized by a lack of mutual autonomy, and that this relationship would be moderated by the emotional valence of the parent-child relationship. Self-report questionnaires were utilized to measure college student participants’ experiences of parental psychological control, their perceptions of the overall emotional valence of their relationships with their parents, and their use of the relational styles of other-focused connection and self-focused autonomy. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Whereas the original hypothesized model failed to adequately fit the data, modifications of the indicators utilized to construct the dependent latent variables resulted in a model that met the stringent fit criteria used in the present study. An overall emotional valence of parental acceptance was found to moderate the association between experiences of parental psychological control and emerging adults’ involvement in relationships characterized by a relational style of other-focused connection. More specifically, the likelihood of the association between parental psychological control and emerging adults’ use of a relational style of other-focused connection increased within the context of low and high levels of parental acceptance. Within the context of medium levels of parental acceptance, parental psychological control and emerging adults’ use of a relational style of other-focused connection were not significantly related. Post-hoc analyses indicated that the association between parental psychological control and emerging adults’ use of relational styles lacking in mutual autonomy differed as a function of parent gender (maternal psychological control versus paternal psychological control) and as a function of the type of relationship participants reported about (friendships versus romantic relationships). The discussion of the results focuses on interpreting the hypothesized findings as well as the unexpected findings of the present study, limitations of the study, and future directions for research.
Patricia K. Kerig, PhD (Committee Chair)
Jennifer H. Green, PhD (Committee Member)
Vaishali V. Raval, PhD (Committee Member)
Rose M. Ward, PhD (Committee Member)
Sally A. Lloyd, PhD (Committee Member)
52 p.
Psychology
psychological control; parent-child relationships; emerging adults; emotional valence; mutual autonomy

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Swanson, J. A. (2009). Parental psychological control and mutually autonomous relationships in emerging adulthood: Emotional valence as a moderator [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1249563427

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Swanson, Julie. Parental psychological control and mutually autonomous relationships in emerging adulthood: Emotional valence as a moderator. 2009. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1249563427.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Swanson, Julie. "Parental psychological control and mutually autonomous relationships in emerging adulthood: Emotional valence as a moderator." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami1249563427

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami1249563427
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© 2009, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.