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Parental Psychological Control and Academic Engagement: A Vicious Cycle Moderated by Teacher Autonomy Support
Xiaochen Chen1,2, Jiayi Hou1,2
1Department of Psychology, Renmin University of China, Beijing, China.
Journal of Adolescence
|July 7, 2026
Summary
Parental psychological control and adolescent academic engagement influence each other in a cycle. Teacher autonomy support can lessen the negative impact of controlling parenting on student engagement.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent psychology
- Educational psychology
- Family studies
Background:
- Parental psychological control is linked to negative adolescent academic outcomes.
- The reciprocal influence between parenting and student engagement, and school factors, is understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the reciprocal relationship between parental psychological control and adolescent academic engagement.
- To investigate the moderating role of teacher autonomy support in this dynamic.
Main Methods:
- A three-wave longitudinal study with 582 adolescents in southern China.
- Data collected via student surveys assessing parental psychological control, academic engagement, and teacher autonomy support.
- Cross-lagged panel analyses, including random-intercept models, were employed.
Main Results:
- A significant bidirectional relationship was found: higher parental psychological control predicted lower academic engagement, and vice versa.
- Teacher autonomy support significantly moderated this cycle.
- Increased teacher autonomy support buffered the negative effects of parental psychological control on academic engagement.
Conclusions:
- Parental psychological control and academic engagement form a reciprocal cycle.
- Teacher autonomy support can mitigate risks associated with controlling parenting.
- Addressing adolescent academic adjustment requires considering multiple ecological systems, including supportive teaching practices.
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