Parenting and Self-Control Across Early to Late Adolescence: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

Reciprocal relationships among parental psychological control, emotion regulation ability, and subjective well-being of adolescents: Disentangling between- and within-person effects

BACKGROUND

Although research has demonstrated that parental psychological control is associated with the subjective well-being of adolescents, the lack of longitudinal studies that investigate whether or not bidirectional associations exist between the two and their potential mediating mechanisms has continued to date. In addition, previous studies have not rigorously distinguished between- and within-person effects. Thus, this study investigated longitudinal bidirectional associations between parental psychological control and the subjective well-being of adolescents. The study further examined the mediating role of emotion regulation ability.

METHODS

A total of 1365 Chinese adolescents (boys: 53.2 %; Mage = 14.68 years, SD = 1.56) participated in a three-wave longitudinal study with annual assessments. Random intercept cross-lagged panel models were utilized to separate between- and within-person variation.

RESULTS

After controlling for between-person variance, the results revealed that adolescents with low levels of subjective well-being reported high levels of parental psychological control after one year. Emotion regulation ability played a bidirectional mediating role in the relationship between psychological control and subjective well-being. That is, psychological control and subjective well-being mutually influenced each other through emotion regulation ability.

LIMITATIONS

Assessments of the key study variables were provided by adolescents. Moreover, the study considered a combination of the mothers' and fathers' use of psychological control without differentiating between paternal and maternal psychological control.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings highlight the importance of interventions that target emotion regulation ability, which contributes to breaking the negative cycle between controlling parenting and the well-being of adolescents.

The Association between Emotional Intelligence and Prosocial Behaviors in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior both play an important role in the development of children and adolescents. However, the strength of the association between emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior in children and adolescents is controversial. Hence, this study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the exact association between emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior in children and adolescents. Through a literature search, a total of 40 studies and 40 effect sizes were included in this meta-analysis (n = 20621). In this study, the main effect test shows that there is a significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior in children and adolescents (r = 0.43). Moreover, the present study found a significant moderating effect of age. More specifically, the association between early childhood (0-6 years) emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior is stronger than in middle childhood (7-12 years) and adolescence (13-18 years), and the correlation between emotional intelligence and prosocial behavior is stronger in boys than in girls. The culture was also found to be an important moderator, the association was found to be weaker for Western culture than for Eastern culture. Finally, a stronger correlation between the two variables was found when the emotional intelligence measurement tool was LZ (Emotional intelligence questionnaire compiled by Liu Yan and Zou Hong). These results indicated that improving children's and adolescents' emotional intelligence could be an important strategy to enhance children's prosocial behavior.

The Associations Between Social Support and Problematic Mobile Phone Use Among Children and Adolescents: A Three-level Meta-analysis

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between social support and problematic mobile phone use among adolescents, yet a definitive consensus remains elusive. The high prevalence of problematic mobile phone use among children and adolescents requires urgent clarity on this issue. However, previous meta-analyses on this topic have primarily focused on college students, overlooking this association in younger age groups. The present study thus concentrated on children and adolescents, conducting a three-level meta-analysis to combine existing research findings and analyze various moderators to identify sources of research heterogeneity. A systematic literature search retrieved a total of 33 studies with 135 effect sizes for this meta-analysis, and 25,537 students (53.83% female, age range 7-19, grades range 3rd-12th) were included. The results showed a negative correlation (r = -0.139) between social support and problematic mobile phone use in children and adolescents. Age, social support measurement, sources of social support, and symptoms of problematic mobile phone use were found to have a significant moderating influence. Specifically, social support showed a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use in older adolescents compared to their younger counterparts. The correlation was more pronounced when using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support than other scales. Family support exhibited a stronger negative correlation with problematic mobile phone use compared to other sources of support. Among the symptoms of problematic mobile phone use, the inability to control craving has the strongest negative correlation with social support. This meta-analysis suggested that providing more social support, particularly in the form of family support, during the development of children and adolescents may help alleviate problematic mobile phone use.

Parental Psychological Control and College Students' Negative Risk-Taking Behaviors: The Chain-Mediating of Autonomy and Self-Control

Purpose

To deeply explore the relationship between parental psychological control and negative risk-taking behaviors among Chinese college students and the mediating role of autonomy and self-control, providing a reference basis for preventing and intervening in college students' negative risk-taking behaviors.

Patients and Methods

Questionnaires was administered to 1173 college students (Mage=20.7 ± 1.32) in Hunan Province using four scales. Subsequently, we processed and analyzed the collected data using SPSS 26.0 software.

Results

Parental psychological control demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with college students' negative risk-taking behaviors. The impact of parental psychological control on college students' negative risk-taking behaviors was mediated by self-control and the combined effect of autonomy and self-control.

Conclusion

Among Chinese college students, autonomy and self-control act as a sequential mediating factor between negative risk-taking behaviors and parental psychological control. This study uncovered the underlying process by which parenting practices affected college students' negative risk-taking behaviors. It offers empirical support for successful treatments aimed at reducing future risk-taking behaviors among college students, as well as some evidence in favor of the crucial part that parenting styles play in the development of positive adolescents.

The effect of childhood harshness and unpredictability on Internet addiction among college students: The mediating effect of self-control

College students are inevitably online and at risk of becoming addicted. Life history theory provides an explanatory framework for individual differences in Internet addiction, and childhood harshness and unpredictability may be important antecedents. However, it is unclear whether and how childhood harshness and/or unpredictability affect Internet addiction during college. In this study, we recruited 483 Chinese college students and assessed their childhood harshness, unpredictability, self-control, and Internet addiction. The results of path analysis showed that childhood unpredictability was positively associated with Internet addiction among college students and was partially mediated by self-control. The effect of harshness on Internet addiction showed a suppression effect, i.e., the direct effect of harshness on Internet addiction was negative and the indirect effect through self-control was positive. This suggests that the high risk of Internet addiction stems from harshness and unpredictability in childhood, but that the effects of these factors are independent and distinct. Self-control plays an important role in this process, but many internal mechanisms remain to be tested in future research.

Academic motivation in adolescents: the role of parental autonomy support, psychological needs satisfaction and self-control

Background

Various perspectives on the existence and degree of motivation, which is a crucial factor influencing human behavior, have been studied for many years. Especially in adolescence, a phase marked by rapid change, motivation plays a crucial role in supporting young people to achieve their goals, fulfill their responsibilities, and experience healthy development.

Aims

The present study aims to investigate the structural relationships among perceived parental autonomy support, satisfaction of psychological needs, self-control, and academic motivation.

Sample

The study was conducted with a total of 427 high school students, including 230 females and 197 males, aged between 14 and 19 (M = 15.82; SD = 1.02).

Method

Participants completed self-report measures of academic motivation, parental autonomy support, psychological needs satisfaction, and self-control. Structural equation modeling was performed to explore complex relationships between variables of interest.

Results

The study revealed that psychological needs satisfaction increased as parental autonomy support increased, and self-control also increased with the satisfaction of psychological needs. It was also found that satisfaction of psychological needs was positively related to both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Additionally, self-control was associated with increased intrinsic motivation and decreased amotivation. In addition, it was found that parental autonomy support has an indirect relationship with academic motivation through the satisfaction of psychological needs and self-control.

Conclusion

It is believed that these connections will lead to a deeper understanding of the significant processes in adolescence and serve as a foundation for developing and implementing psycho-educational interventions related to these variables.

Individual- and family-level associations between child psychopathology and parenting

Parenting can protect against the development of, or increase risk for, child psychopathology; however, it is unclear if parenting is related to psychopathology symptoms in a specific domain, or to broad liability for psychopathology. Parenting differs between and within families, and both overall family-level parenting and the child-specific parenting a child receives may be important in estimating transdiagnostic associations with psychopathology. Data come from a cross-sectional epidemiological sample (N = 10,605 children ages 4-17, 6434 households). Parents rated child internalizing and externalizing symptoms and their parenting toward each child. General and specific (internalizing, externalizing) psychopathology factors, derived with bifactor modeling, were regressed on parenting using multilevel modeling. Less warmth and more aversive/inconsistent parenting in the family, and toward an individual child relative to family average, were associated with higher general psychopathology and specific externalizing problems. Unexpectedly, more warmth in the family, and toward an individual child relative to family average, was associated with higher specific internalizing problems in 4-11 (not 12-17) year-olds. Less warmth and more aversive/inconsistent parenting are broad correlates of child psychopathology. Aversive/inconsistent parenting, is also related to specific externalizing problems. Parents may behave more warmly when their younger children have specific internalizing problems, net of overall psychopathology.

The association between family functioning and problem behaviors among Chinese preschool left-behind children: the chain mediating effect of emotion regulation and psychological resilience

Objective

The family environment has a significant impact on the psychological and behavioral development of children, especially those who are left behind in preschool and experience parent-child separation at a young age. These children face a greater risk of family dysfunction, which can lead to internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. While numerous studies have established a connection between family functioning and problem behaviors, few have explored the underlying mechanisms driving this relationship. Our study seeks to address this gap by examining how emotion regulation and psychological resilience mediate the link between family functioning and problem behavior.

Methods

The sample consisted of 940 preschool children (51.5% male, 48.5% female) with a mean age of 5.07 ± 0.80. The main guardians of the children were given the Family Assessment Device, Preschool Children's Emotion Regulation Scale, the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Preschoolers (2nd edition), and the Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales to assess their family functioning, emotion regulation, psychological resilience, and problem behavior respectively.

Results

Lower family functioning was associated with more severe problem behaviors in preschool left-behind children, and emotion regulation and psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between family functioning and problem behaviors, respectively. In addition, emotion regulation and psychological resilience were also chain mediators between family functioning and problem behaviors.

Conclusion

The study's findings highlighted the crucial role of emotional regulation and psychological resilience in the correlation between family functioning and problem behaviors. It is recommended that policymakers and educators place a high priority on the cultivation of internal psychological resources, such as emotional regulation and resilience, in preschool-aged children when designing interventions to address problem behaviors.

Alcohol Use and Abstinence throughout Adolescence: The Changing Contributions of Perceived Risk of Drinking, Opportunities to Drink, and Self-Control

Objective: Adolescence is characterized by psychosocial and cognitive changes that can alter the perceived risk of negative effects of alcohol, opportunities to drink, and self-control. Few studies have investigated whether these factors change in their contribution to adolescent drinking over time. This study examined associations between perceived risk, opportunities to drink, self-control, and past-year drinking and investigated whether self-control buffers the effect of lower perceived risk and frequent drinking opportunities on the probability of past-year drinking. Method: Data from a four-wave longitudinal study (2015-2020) of 2,104 North Carolina adolescents (Mage = 12.36, SDage = 1.12, at Time 1) were used to assess changes in associations between self-control, perceived risk of drinking, and drinking opportunities on the frequency of past-year drinking. Hypotheses were tested using latent trajectory models. Results: At all timepoints, greater perceived risk, fewer drinking opportunities, and higher self-control were associated with drinking abstinence in the past year. Self-control buffered the impact of frequent drinking opportunities and lower perceived risk on the probability of alcohol use at Times 1-3. Conclusions: Despite expectations that adolescents' ability to navigate their environments improves as they age, associations between risk, protective factors, and past-year drinking were relatively stable over time. Nevertheless, self-control protected against frequent drinking opportunities and lower perceived risk. Strategies that support or relieve the need for self-control (e.g., situation modification) may protect against alcohol use throughout adolescence.

Bidirectional Relationship between Positive Parenting Behavior and Children's Self-Regulation: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study

In this study, we used a cross-lagged design to explore the relationship between children's self-regulation and positive parenting behaviors. Children aged 3 years (N = 84) were tested individually three times a year for their hot and cool self-regulation, while their parents' positive parenting behaviors (warmth, structure, and autonomy support) were collected through questionnaires. In the structural equation panel model, bidirectional relations between children's inhibitory control and parental positive parenting were found. Children's inhibitory control and positive parenting predicted changes in each other for the first six months. Such a reciprocal relationship also existed between parental autonomy support and children's inhibitory control. There was a cross-lagged effect between parental warmth and children' inhibitory control rather than a simultaneous relation. Children's inhibitory control positively predicted parental structural behaviors rather than vice versa. Children's delayed waiting and positive parenting (autonomy support) were only positively correlated, rather than having a lagging effect. All the relationships faded over time.

Patterns of indulgent parenting and adolescents' psychological development

Objective

This study aimed to extend the current literature by examining the patterns of indulgent parenting of both mothers and fathers and their associations with adolescents' basic psychological needs satisfaction, self-control, and self-efficacy.

Background

Indulgent parenting could be harmful for the development of psychological needs satisfaction and cognitive abilities when adolescents seek autonomy and gain emotional regulatory skills. Yet research is limited on investigating the patterns of indulgent parenting and their relationships to adolescents' psychological development.

Method

The sample consisted of 268 adolescents in Grades 9 to 11 from several high schools in a southeastern region of the United States. Participants took an online survey about their perceptions of parental indulgent parenting, their psychological development, and demographic information.

Results

Results from multivariate mixture modeling suggested four distinct classes of perceived maternal and paternal indulgence. Further, these classes demonstrated differential associations with adolescents' basic psychological needs satisfaction, self-control, and self-efficacy.

Conclusion

The findings revealed different patterns of perceived indulgent parenting practices. Further, these findings also highlighted the negative role of perceived behavioral indulgence on adolescents' psychological development.

Implications

Implications for interventions targeted at parenting and adolescent development were noted.

The Longitudinal Relationship Between Parenting and Self-Control Needs Reconsideration: A Commentary on Li et al. (2019)

The relationship between parenting and self-control has received much attention from social and developmental psychologists. In a meta-analytic review, Li et al. (2019) identified a longitudinal association between parenting and subsequent self-control (P → SC) of r = .157, p < .001, and a longitudinal association between adolescent self-control and subsequent parenting (SC → P) of r = .155, p < .001. However, the longitudinal associations may have been substantially biased because Li et al. (2019) utilized the bivariate correlation between the predictor at Time 1 and the outcome at Time 2 to estimate the effect size. To provide a more accurate estimate of the longitudinal association between parenting and adolescent self-control, we reexamined the data on the basis of the cross-lagged association. The results showed weaker longitudinal associations for both P → SC (r = .059, p < .001) and SC → P (r = .062, p < .001). Our results point to the importance of utilizing the cross-lagged association in meta-analyzing the longitudinal relationship between variables.

How Trait Gratitude Influences Adolescent Subjective Well-Being? Parallel-Serial Mediating Effects of Meaning in Life and Self-Control

The relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being is well documented in the literature. Recently, growing attention has been given to examining which factors are determinants in the relationship. However, there are no studies to present a comprehensive model of how meaning in life and self-control jointly play a role in this relationship. This study investigated parallel and serial mediation of the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control in the relationship between trait gratitude and subjective well-being. A total of 764 adolescents (Mage = 14.10, SD = 1.43, 48.43% males) from three middle schools in China completed a six-item measures of gratitude questionnaire form, a meaning in life questionnaire, a middle school students' self-control ability questionnaire, and a satisfaction with life scale. The study revealed that trait gratitude affected the presence of meaning and subsequently affected subjective well-being. In addition, trait gratitude affected self-control through the presence of meaning and the search for meaning, and it subsequently affected subjective well-being. Therefore, the presence of meaning, the search for meaning, and self-control played an important role in the positive effects of trait gratitude on adolescent subjective well-being. The findings were in line with the intrinsic and extrinsic goal theory of gratitude and provided new insight to inform the improvement of adolescent subjective well-being in the future.

Parenting style and children emotion management skills among Chinese children aged 3-6: the chain mediation effect of self-control and peer interactions

Drawing on ecosystem theory, which is based on the interaction of family environment, individual characteristics, and social adaptation, this study aimed to examine the effects of parenting style on emotion management skills and the mediating roles of self-control and peer interactions among Chinese children aged 3-6 years. Some studies have investigated the relationship between parenting style and emotion management skills. However, research on the underlying mechanisms is still deficient. A sample of 2,303 Chinese children completed the PSDQ-Short Version, the Self-Control Teacher Rating Questionnaire, the Peer Interaction Skills Scale, and the Emotion Management Skills Questionnaire. The results show that: (1) Authoritarian parenting style negatively predicted children's emotion management skills, self-control, and peer interactions; (2) Authoritative parenting style positively predicted children's emotion management skills, self-control, and peer interactions; (3) Structural equation models indicated that self-control and peer interactions partially mediated the effects of authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles. The parenting style of Chinese children aged 3-6 years is related to emotion management skills, and self-control and peer interactions have chain mediating effects between parenting style and children's emotion management skills. These results provide further guidance for the prevention and intervention of emotional and mental health problems in children.

Parental Attachment and Proactive-Reactive Aggression in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Self-Control and Perspective Taking

Introduction

Identifying risk and protective factors of aggressive behavior during adolescence is beneficial for the intervention and prevention treatments. Although studies show that attachment quality is closely related to aggression, the underlying psychological mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the links of parental attachment with proactive and reactive aggression and to examine the mediating role of perspective taking and self-control among Chinese adolescents.

Methods

A cluster sampling method was used to recruit participants from several high schools located in the central regions of China. A total of 2982 participants (Mage = 17.28, SD = 0.83, range 15~20 years; 1602 girls, 1380 boys) were included in the final analysis.

Results

Correlation analysis showed that participants possessing higher attachment security with parents were more likely to report lower levels of proactive and reactive aggression. And, self-control and perspective taking were positively associated with parental attachment, and negatively associated with both types of aggression. Moreover, structural equation models indicated that parental attachment directly, and indirectly predicted proactive and reactive aggression through self-control and perspective taking.

Discussion

Overall, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the explanatory mechanisms that link adolescent-parent attachment and aggression, and suggest that high quality of adolescent-parent interactions may promote adolescents' self-control and perspectives taking, which further reduces their aggression propensity.

Parental phubbing and academic burnout in adolescents: the role of social anxiety and self-control

Based on the limited resource model of self-control, we construct a chain mediation model to examine the relationship between parental phubbing and adolescents' academic burnout, and whether social anxiety and self-control play a mediating role in it. We used 4 questionnaires to investigate parental phubbing, social anxiety, self-control, and adolescents' academic burnout among 828 high school students in Wuhu and Huangshan City, Anhui Province, China. The findings indicated that: (1) parental phubbing, social anxiety, and self-control all significantly predict adolescents' academic burnout directly and (2) parental phubbing could indirectly influence adolescents' academic burnout through three pathways: the separate mediating effect of social anxiety and self-control, and the chain mediating effect on both. The results of this study help parents understand how their phubbing actions affect adolescents' academic burnout and the mechanism of action.

Formation mechanism and prediction model of juvenile delinquency

Exploring the formation mechanism of juvenile delinquency is of great significance to prevent juvenile delinquency. The present study examined relations and interactions among juvenile delinquents' self-consciousness, family factors, social relationships, belief in a just world, and legal consciousness, and then developed a predictive model to distinguish between juvenile delinquents and non-delinquents. The results showed that family factors have a significant influence on the formation of juvenile delinquents' self-consciousness and there are notable differences in family environment and self-consciousness between delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents. Due to the complex interactions among juvenile delinquency's self-consciousness, family factors, social relationships, belief in a just world and legal consciousness, adolescents' self- consciousness and social relationships can be utilized to predict and classify the groups of delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents effectively. Therefore, the key to preventing juvenile delinquency is to improve their self-consciousness and develop their prosocial relationships.

Genetics, parenting, and family functioning-What drives the development of self-control from adolescence to adulthood?

OBJECTIVE

Self-control is a meaningful predictor of crucial life outcomes. Knowingly, genes contribute substantially to differences in self-control, but behavioral genetic findings are often misinterpreted regarding environmental influences. Therefore, we reinvestigate the heritability of self-control as well as potential environmental influences, namely parenting and a chaotic home environment.

METHOD

We used cross-sectional and longitudinal data from the German twin family study TwinLife (N = 3354 individuals), structured in a multicohort design in which 13-, 19-, and 25-year-old twins rated their self-control, parents' behavior, and home environment.

RESULTS

Results showed increasing mean levels and 1-year stabilities for self-control accompanied by substantial genetic influences, increasing particularly from ages 19 to 25 (53% to 76%). While chaotic home environments and negative parenting were phenotypically associated with lower self-control, twin difference models revealed that differences in these individually perceived "environments" directly predicted self-control differences (β = -0.16 to -0.28) within families when controlling for genetic and environmental similarities.

CONCLUSIONS

In addition to the genetic anchoring of self-control, results indicate that environmental factors such as negative family environments are meaningful and depend on individual perceptions within families. Interventions for enhancing self-control should, therefore, rely on individual perspectives rather than objective characteristics of home environments.

The role of socio-cultural background and child age for parental regulation strategies and children's self-regulation: A comparison between Germany, Chile, and El Salvador

This study compared parental regulation strategies and children's self-regulation in three different countries (Germany, Chile, El Salvador). N = 300 primary caregivers of 1- to 3-year-olds filled out a parental questionnaire (IMpulse-MAnagement in the caregiver-child dyad, IMMA; Pauen et al., 2019) assessing (a) socio-demographic variables, (b) parental ideas and goals regarding children's self-regulation skills, (c) children's self-regulation strategies in dealing with internal challenges or demands, and (d) caregiver's regulation strategies. Age-group comparisons revealed that (1) children increased compliance and verbal negotiation with their caregivers as they grow older, and (2) parents adapted their regulation strategies to the age of the child. Country-group comparisons further indicated substantial similarities and differences between countries with respect to (3) how parents expected children to deal with requests and prohibitions, as well as with their own needs, feelings, and impulses, (4) how children responded to goal-frustration and parental demands, and (5) which regulatory strategies parents used to support their offspring. These exploratory findings are discussed in the light of current models on cultural learning, parent-child interactions, and child self-regulation development.

The Influence of Different Dimensions of the Parent–Child Relationship in Childhood as Longitudinal Predictors of Substance Use in Late Adolescence. The Mediating Role of Self-Control

This study examined longitudinal links between several dimensions of parent–child relationship and adolescent substance use, and tested the role of self-control in mediating these. Data came from the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood. Validated questionnaires were used to measure parent–child domains at age 11, self-control at age 13, and substance use at ages 13, 15, 17, and 20. Low positive parenting and parental supervision, as well as aversive parenting, correlated with substance use. Linear regression model revealed that aversive parenting, low child disclosure, low positive parenting, and low parental involvement at age 11 predicted substance use at different stages of adolescence. These associations were mediated by low self-control at age 13. Involving parents and increasing their knowledge about desirable parental practices and ways to help their children to develop adequate self-control could be an effective element in substance use prevention strategies.

Relational Competence, School Adjustment and Emotional Skills: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Group of Junior and High School Students of the Sicilian Hinterland

Research has demonstrated the influence of emotional adjustment on the manifestation of problematic behaviors in adolescence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the present research is to investigate the role of self-esteem and relational skills on school performance in a group of middle and high school students during the COVID-19 period. The research involved 392 students, aged between 11 and 20 (M = 13.78; S.D. = 2.56). Participants completed the following instruments: an anamnestic constructed ad hoc questionnaire; the Interpersonal Relationships Test, in order to evaluate the perception of adolescents concerning the quality of their relationships in social, family and school contexts; and the Multidimensional Test of Self-Esteem, structured in six scales, which coincide with the dimensions considered constitutive of self-esteem. The preliminary data have shown how the older girls, attending the high school, tend to manifest a higher level of social competence with peer group and teachers. Furthermore, the perception of a reduced emotional self-efficacy but an elevated environmental control and good interpersonal skills seem to predict the school adjustment. Understanding adolescents' perceptions of difficulties and their social support networks can offer some insight into how major social changes can be associated with individual well-being, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Associations of parent-adolescent closeness with P3 amplitude, frontal theta, and binge drinking among offspring with high risk for alcohol use disorder

BACKGROUND

Parents impact their offspring's brain development, neurocognitive function, risk, and resilience for alcohol use disorder (AUD) via both genetic and socio-environmental factors. Individuals with AUD and their unaffected children manifest low parietal P3 amplitude and low frontal theta (FT) power, reflecting heritable neurocognitive deficits associated with AUD. Likewise, children who experience poor parenting tend to have atypical brain development and greater rates of alcohol problems. Conversely, positive parenting can be protective and critical for normative development of self-regulation, neurocognitive functioning and the neurobiological systems subserving them. Yet, the role of positive parenting in resiliency toward AUD is understudied and its association with neurocognitive functioning and behavioral vulnerability to AUD among high-risk offspring is less known. Using data from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism prospective cohort (N = 1256, mean age [SD] = 19.25 [1.88]), we investigated the associations of closeness with mother and father during adolescence with offspring P3 amplitude, FT power, and binge drinking among high-risk offspring.

METHODS

Self-reported closeness with mother and father between ages 12 and 17 and binge drinking were assessed using the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism. P3 amplitude and FT power were assessed in response to target stimuli using a Visual Oddball Task.

RESULTS

Multivariate multiple regression analyses showed that closeness with father was associated with larger P3 amplitude (p = 0.002) and higher FT power (p = 0.01). Closeness with mother was associated with less binge drinking (p = 0.003). Among male offspring, closeness with father was associated with larger P3 amplitude, but among female offspring, closeness with mother was associated with less binge drinking. These associations remained statistically significant with father's and mothers' AUD symptoms, socioeconomic status, and offspring impulsivity in the model.

CONCLUSIONS

Among high-risk offspring, closeness with parents during adolescence may promote resilience for developing AUD and related neurocognitive deficits albeit with important sex differences.

Lest We Forget the Parent in the Parent-Adolescent Dance!

Adolescence is a developmental stage with rapid, and dynamic, biological and social changes in an individual. These changes add to the vulnerabilities for mental health morbidity. Adolescents today live and grow at the center of a layered, globalized, hyper-connected world where proximate and distal environments constantly influence each other. Parenting is part of the most proximate of the environmental layers, and is purported to have a protective and supportive role for adolescents. This editorial reflects upon challenges in parenting adolescents, and the need for nuanced re-examinations of the role of parenting in today’s globalized, hyper-connected, yet isolating, constantly changing environments.

The Mechanisms of Parental Burnout Affecting Adolescents' Problem Behavior

Parental burnout refers to the feelings of extreme exhaustion that many parents experience due to parenting. Although parental burnout has received considerable interest from researchers, the effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescents' physical and psychological development remain largely unknown. This study investigated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behaviors in Chinese families. We explored the mediating roles of family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control, as well as the moderating role of co-parenting. Questionnaires were distributed to 600 adolescents and their primary caregivers, and the data were collected on three different occasions. In total, 174 paired participants completed the survey (44.9% boys; Mean-age = 14.18 years). Bootstrapping results showed that parental burnout was positively associated with adolescents' problem behavior. In addition, family function, parental psychological aggression, and adolescent self-control mediated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescents' problem behavior. Co-parenting moderated the effects of parental burnout on family function and parental psychological aggression. The result of structural equation modeling (SEM) generally supported the above results. These findings reveal the negative effects and mechanisms of parental burnout on adolescent problem behavior, providing empirical evidence that can be applied to prevent the negative effects of parental burnout.

The Association between Peer Victimization and Risk-Taking Behavior among Chinese Adolescents: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model

Peer victimization has been considered a main source of risk-taking behavior among adolescents, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying this association. Based on the social-cognitive theory and the person-environment interactions model, the current study built a moderated mediation model to explore whether self-control mediated the link between peer victimization and adolescent risk-taking behavior and whether positive parenting moderated this link. We used a 2-time longitudinal design (6 months apart) to investigate 488 adolescents (M_age = 15.63 years, SD = 1.64) from 3 middle schools in Guangzhou. The results were as follows: (1) There were significant correlations among peer victimization, adolescent risk-taking behavior, self-control, and positive parenting when controlling for demographic variables. (2) Peer victimization not only influenced risk-taking behavior directly, but also indirectly through self-control. (3) Positive parenting moderated the influence of self-control on risk-taking behavior. In other words, positive parenting could enhance the inhibitory effect of self-control on risk-taking behavior. The results help reveal the mechanism by which adolescent risk-taking behavior forms and may help inform interventions against adolescent risk-taking behavior.

Routes Out of Child Abuse to School Adjustments: A Comparison Between North Korean Adolescent Refugees and Native South Korean Adolescents

This study aimed to examine pathways from child abuse to school adjustment and the roles of self-control and academic stress on the link among North Korean adolescent refugees living in South Korea and native South Korean adolescents. A total of 610 students (adolescents from South Korea = 325 and adolescents from North Korea = 285) living in South Korea, from juniors in middle schools to seniors in high schools, were interviewed in 2017. Multigroup structural equation modeling was used to examine differences in the country of origin on the pathways from abuse to school adjustment via self-control and academic stress. North Korean adolescent refugees were less likely to adjust to their school life than South Korean adolescents. Academic stress was found as a significant mediator between self-control and school adjustment in both South Korean and North Korean adolescents. Child abuse was associated with self-control of South Korean adolescents. Childhood abuse from parents can have an overall influence on individual characteristics and school life for adolescents. By paying attention to this process, comprehensive solutions are urgently required not only to intervene in the problem of abusive parenting behaviors but also to block the path of the expanding negative consequences among both groups of adolescents.

Effects of parenting mode on student adaptability: the mediating effect of irrational beliefs

BACKGROUNDS

In the face of the new environment, different individuals have different reactions. Those who have good adaptability constantly establish individual self-efficacy through making friends and completing their studies, thus forming a good dependency with the university environment. However, individuals with poor ability to adapt to the new environment will have some bad phenomena, such as truancy, weariness and self denial. As a result, the students' adaptations of to the growth environment where in universities are the important topics in recent years.

METHODS

Present study introduces irrational beliefs to investigate the effects of parenting mode on maladaptation of university students. The questionnaires based on simplified parenting mode (Chinese), irrational belief and adaptability were administered in a survey of 510 university students in Zhanjiang on October, 2021, the list of students of Guangdong Ocean University is taken as the sampling frame and determined by random sampling. Parenting mode was used as the independent variable, while the emotionally warm, overprotective and rejecting types were used as the indices. Further, the irrational beliefs including summary comments, awful beliefs and low tolerance to setbacks as well as maladaptation were included in the mediation model for analysis.

RESULTS

The results showed that the rejection parenting mode was negatively related with absolute requirements (r = - 0.143), and learning motivation (r = - 0.157), interpersonal adaptation (r = - 0.283) and physical and psychological adjustment (r = - 0.083). Overprotection was negatively correlated with absolute requirements (r = - 0.042) and interpersonal adaptation (r = - 0.042). The mediating effect of irrational beliefs (low tolerance to setbacks, awful beliefs and absolute requirements), the lower and upper limits of Bootstrap confidence interval were 0.135 and 0.461, respectively, excluding 0, which indicated that the mediating effect is true.

CONCLUSION

Through the analysis of the data, this study believes that irrational beliefs such as low tolerance to setbacks, awful beliefs and absolute requirements mediate the effects on school adjustment. Negative parenting modes such as overprotection and rejection inculcate irrational beliefs, resulting in maladaptation of university students.

Longitudinal association between parental involvement and internet gaming disorder among Chinese adolescents: Consideration of future consequences as a mediator and peer victimization as a moderator

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in adolescents is a concerning issue. Positive parenting has been found to protect against adolescent IGD, but the underlying mechanisms await further investigation. As such, this study examined the longitudinal association between parental involvement (PI) - a specific type of positive parenting understudied in the literature of adolescent gaming disorder - and IGD. Moreover, this study also tested consideration of future consequences (CFC) as a mediator and peer victimization (PV) as a moderator.

METHODS

A two-wave longitudinal research spanning 6 months apart was conducted. Participants were Chinese adolescents (final N = 434; 222 females; Mage = 14.44 years, SD = 1.56). They provided ratings on PI, PV, and IGD at Wave 1, and CFC-immediate, CFC-future, and IGD at Wave 2.

RESULTS

Descriptive statistics showed that the prevalence rate of IGD was 10.81% and 9.45% at Waves 1 and 2, respectively. Moreover, results of moderated mediation model found that after controlling for Wave 1 IGD and covariates, Wave 1 PI was associated with Wave 2 IGD via preventing adolescents who had higher levels of PV from developing a tendence of CFC-immediate and via promoting adolescents who had lower levels of PV to develop a tendence of CFC-future.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, these results suggest that facilitative ecological systems (e.g., positive parenting and good relationships with peers) and personal strengths (e.g., positive future orientation) jointly contribute to the mitigation of adolescent IGD.

The role of parenting in the intergenerational transmission of executive functioning: A genetically informed approach

Deficits in executive functioning both run in families and serve as a transdiagnostic risk factor for psychopathology. The present study employed twin modeling to examine parenting as an environmental pathway underlying the intergenerational transmission of executive functioning in an at-risk community sample of children and adolescents (N = 354 pairs, 167 monozygotic). Using structural equation modeling of multi-informant reports of parenting and a multi-method measure of child executive functioning, we found that better parent executive functioning related to less harsh, warmer parenting, which in turn related to better child executive functioning. Second, we assessed the etiology of executive functioning via the nuclear twin family model, finding large non-shared environmental effects (E = .69) and low-to-moderate heritability (A = .22). We did not find evidence of shared environmental effects or passive genotype-environment correlation. Third, a bivariate twin model revealed significant shared environmental overlap between both warm and harsh parenting and child executive functioning (which may indicate either passive genotype-environment correlation or environmental mediation), and non-shared environmental overlap between only harsh parenting and child executive functioning (indicating an effect of harsh parenting separable from genetic confounds). In summary, genetics contribute to the intergenerational transmission of executive functioning, with environmental mechanisms, including harsh parenting, also making unique contributions.

Attachment styles and their association with aggression, hostility, and anger in Lebanese adolescents: a national study

BACKGROUND

The idea that attachment styles can affect the level of anger in an individual educes a reason why people develop anger issues and behavioral problems in adolescence that escalate into adulthood. Lebanon suffers from a shortage of data pertaining to insecure attachment styles and the affective and cognitive aspects of anger and behavioral anger expression among the Lebanese youth population. This study aimed to investigate the association between attachment dimensions and anger expression (trait anger, hostility, physical aggression, and verbal aggression) among a sample of Lebanese adolescent participants.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed between January and May 2019 among 1810 Lebanese high-school students aged 12-18 and used two validated measures, the Adolescent-Relationship Questionnaire (A-RQ) and The Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ). The A-RQ assessed attachment behaviors, while the BPAQ evaluated aggression.

RESULTS

Higher fearful and dismissing attachment styles, and higher physical activity index were significantly associated with higher physical and verbal aggression. A higher fearful attachment style was significantly associated with more anger. A higher secure attachment style was significantly associated with less anger. Higher preoccupied and dismissing attachment styles were significantly associated with higher hostility.

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed a significant relationship between both insecure attachment dimensions and the tripartite model of anger expression. This study adds to the anger literature by providing a more informed understanding of how variations in anger expression are linked to the processing of interpersonal interactions, which are the hidden facets of attachment systems.

Longitudinal association between poor parental supervision and risk-taking behavior: The role of self-control and school climate

INTRODUCTION

Although poor parental supervision has been associated with an increased adolescents' propensity for risk-taking behavior, few researchers have investigated nuanced mechanisms of how and for whom from the perspective of "family × school." Inspired by ecological system theory and self-control theory, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of self-control and the moderating role of school climate between the link between poor parental supervision and risk-taking behavior.

METHODS

Four hundred and ninety-one Chinese adolescents (231 females, M_age  = 15.39 ± 1.36) were recruited to participate in a three-wave longitudinal study (3 months apart) and complete questionnaires regarding poor parental supervision (W1), school climate (W1), self-control (W2), and risk-taking behavior (W1/W3).

RESULTS

After controlling for W1 risk-taking behavior, our moderated mediation model indicated that W1 poor parental supervision was positively related to W3 risk-taking behavior by restraining the development of W2 self-control. Additionally, a high level of school climate as a protective factor buffered the negative impact of poor parental supervision on adolescents' self-control, further reducing risk-taking behavior.

CONCLUSION

Our findings shed light on the processing mechanisms between poor parental supervision and risk-taking behavior among Chinese adolescents and underscore the importance of effective preventions and interventions to facilitate adolescents' healthy development.

Parental and School Influences on Character Attributes Among Chinese Adolescents

Objectives

While there are many theoretical propositions on parental and school impacts on character formation among adolescents, limited empirical evidence is available. To fill the research gaps, this study examined how parental factors (e.g., behavioral control, support, parent-child relationship, and psychological control) and school factors (teacher-student relationship and student-student relationship) affect adolescents' character attributes in the areas of "treating others well," "self-discipline and law-abidance," and "traditional Chinese virtues," from both child and parent perspectives.

Methods

We used survey data collected from 2,472 Chinese adolescents (Mean age = 14.76 ± 1.82 years; 1,271 girls) and 412 Chinese parents (Mean age = 45.68 ± 6.53 years; 313 mothers) in Hong Kong.

Results

Structural equation modeling revealed significant positive effects of positive parental factors and relational factors in school on children's character attributes. However, psychological control as the indicator of negative parenting did not serve as a negative predictor of adolescents' character attributes.

Conclusion

These findings shed light on the unique contribution of different parental and school factors to character development among Chinese adolescents. The findings also imply the importance of promoting ecological assets in family and school through parent and teacher training in effective character education, which is essential for children and adolescents' healthy development.

Developmental Assets, Self-Control and Internet Gaming Disorder in Adolescence: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model in a Longitudinal Study

From the perspective of positive youth development, developmental assets and self-control play critical roles in promoting adolescent development. However, their effects have not been evaluated in the current issue, internet gaming disorder (IGD). IGD is gradually becoming an important social problem among worldwide youth and has been included in the eleventh International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Therefore, the present study was determined to investigate the relationship between developmental assets, self-control, and IGD. A two-wave longitudinal study, with each wave spanning half a year apart, was conducted in a sample of 1023 adolescents (aging from 11 to 15, 49.36% boys) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results of the moderated mediation model revealed that T1 developmental assets could predict less IGD at T2 directly or through T1 self-control indirectly. Furthermore, the moderating effect of gender was not significant in the mediation model. Overall, adolescents who experience more developmental assets are less likely to suffer IGD. Moreover, developmental assets are conducive to developing a higher level of self-control, which in turn contributes to preventing or intervening in IGD as well. Therefore, measures should be taken to construct developmental assets to prevent or reduce IGD during adolescence.

Self-control, Mental Health Problems, and Family Functioning in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: Between-person Differences and Within-person Effects

Adolescents' self-control develops in the context of mental health and family functioning, but it is unclear how the interplay of self-control, mental health, and family functioning unfolds across time within individuals. Separating within-person from between-person effects, random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were applied to adolescents (from ages 11 to 26) from a Dutch cohort (n = 2228, 51% female). Adolescents with low self-control were likely to have mental health problems and poorly functioning families. Although within-person changes in the study variables were not meaningfully associated in a reciprocal manner, changes in self-control and mental health were concurrently associated. This suggests that besides stable connections between self-control, mental health, and family functioning in adolescence and young adulthood, changes in self-control and mental health are developmentally linked as well.

Socioeconomic Status and Risk-Taking Behavior Among Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Psychological Capital and Self-Control

Risk-taking behavior is particularly widespread during adolescence, and negatively impacts the healthy growth and social adaptation of adolescents. Utilizing problem-behavior theory (PBT) and the family stress model (FSM), the current study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescents’ risk-taking behavior, as well as the mediating role of psychological capital and self-control. A total of 1,156 Chinese adolescent students (M_age = 15.51, 48% boys) completed a series of questionnaires anonymously. The results showed that: (1) Socioeconomic status was negatively correlated with adolescents’ risk-taking behavior; (2) Both psychological capital and self-control mediated the relationship between SES and adolescents’ risk-taking behavior independently; and (3) Psychological capital and self-control also mediated the relationship between SES and the risk-taking behavior of adolescents sequentially. This study reveals the internal mechanism of risk-taking behavior during adolescence and provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for preventing and reducing such behavior in this age group.

Family Stress and Rural African-American Adolescents' Depressive Symptoms

PURPOSE

Limited longitudinal research investigates the effects of family stress on the development of depressive symptoms among African-American adolescents. This study tests a developmental model of the family and intrapersonal processes linking family stress to depressive symptoms from the ages of 11 to 15 years. We hypothesized that family stress would predict increases in caregiver-youth conflict, which in turn would predict decreases in adolescents' self-control, a proximal predictor of increases in depressive symptoms.

METHODS

The sample consisted of 472 African-American youths and their primary caregivers from eight rural counties in southern Georgia who provided data at four time points (youth of ages 11-15 years). Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Results were consistent with study hypotheses. Family stress significantly predicted depressive symptoms via intermediate effects on caregiver-youth conflict and adolescent self-control. The indirect influence of family stress via these intermediate processes was significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest tha, when families experience stress, caregiver-youth conflict increases, which may lead to the development of poor self-control in youth, a proximal predictor of increases in depressive symptoms. Findings have implications for the development of prevention programs for rural African-American adolescents.

Importance of Maternal Persistence in Young Children's Persistence

Persistence of a distant goal is an important personality trait that determines academic and social success. Recent studies have shown that individual differences in persistence involve both genetic and environmental factors; however, these studies have not examined the role of maternal factors on a young children's persistence. The present study examined whether mothers' persistence is associated with persistence in children aged 3-6 years. In addition, the associations between mothers' persistence/parenting style and children's self-control/social development (prosocial behaviors and difficulties) were examined. Our results showed that maternal persistence is essential for the child's persistence. Children's self-control and social development were also associated with the mothers' persistence and parenting style. Our findings suggest that a young child's persistence may develop under the influence of a familiar adult (i.e., mother) and characterizes their social development, highlighting the importance of persistence in parenting.

A Scoping Review of the Factors That Influence Families' Ability or Capacity to Provide Young People With Emotional Support Over the Transition to Adulthood

The transition to adulthood is typically marked by changes in relationships with family members, peers, and romantic partners. Despite this, the family often maintains a prominent role in young adults' lives. A scoping review was conducted to identify the factors that influence families' ability or capacity to provide young people with emotional support during the transition to adulthood, and to understand the gaps in this research area. Title and abstract searches were conducted from January 2007 to February 2021 in multiple databases, including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Sociological Abstracts. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were also conducted with stakeholders (professionals from relevant sectors/working within this field). In total, 277 articles were eligible for inclusion in the review. Following data extraction, 19 factors were identified. Factors with the most research (more than 20 articles) included: family proximity or co-residence; mental health; sex or gender differences; and family communication. Factors with less research included: societal context; young person's sexual orientation or gender identity; social networks; and adverse life events. Gaps in the research area were also identified, including methodological issues (e.g., lack of mixed methods and longitudinal study designs), a disproportionate focus on the parent-child relationship, and a lack of contextually situated research. Our findings indicate that future research in this area could benefit from taking an intersectional, multi-method approach, with a focus on the whole family and diverse samples.

A Cross-Cultural Study on Attachment and Adjustment Difficulties in Adolescence: The Mediating Role of Self-Control in Italy, Spain, China, and Poland

From a socio-ecological perspective, individuals are influenced by the interplay of individual, relational, and societal factors operating as a broader system. Thereby, to support youth adjustment during the critical adolescence period, the interplay between these factors should be investigated. This study aimed to investigate cross-cultural differences in adolescents' maternal and paternal attachment, adolescents' adjustment difficulties and self-control, and in their association. N = 1000 adolescents (mean (M) age = 16.94, SD = 0.48; 45.90% males) from China, Italy, Spain, and Poland participated by completing self-report measures. Results showed cross-country similarities and differences among the considered variables and their associative pattern. Moreover, conditional process analysis evaluating the association between maternal vs. paternal attachment and adjustment difficulties, mediated by self-control, and moderated by country, was performed. Maternal attachment directly, and indirectly through greater self-control, influenced adjustment difficulties in all four countries. This association was stronger among Spaniards. Paternal attachment influenced directly, and indirectly through self-control, on adolescents' adjustment difficulties only in Italy, Spain, and Poland, and was stronger among Polish adolescents. For Chinese adolescents, paternal attachment solely associated with adjustment difficulties when mediated by self-control. Thus, results highlighted both similarities and differences across countries in the interplay between maternal vs. paternal attachment and self-control on adolescents' adjustment difficulties. Implications are discussed.

Association of parenting with suicidal ideation and attempts in children and youth: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death in children and youth, with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts (referred to as non-fatal suicidal behaviors (NFSB)) being among its strongest predictors. Positive parenting (e.g., warmth, responsiveness), negative parenting (e.g., control, hostility), and parent-child relationship quality (e.g., trust, communication) have been reported to be associated with differences in NFSB in this population. To date, no comprehensive systematic review has considered together the wide range of parenting factors studied in relation to NFSB, and no meta-analysis of existing findings has been conducted. The present study will critically appraise and synthesize the existing evidence from observational studies that examine the relationships between parenting factors and (i) suicidal ideation and (ii) suicide attempt in children and youth.

METHODS

Studies will be retrieved from APA PsycInfo, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library databases. Retrospective, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies, conducted in clinical and population settings, among youth aged less than 25 years and published as articles and dissertations in English or French will be eligible. Two reviewers will select articles using the Covidence Software after title and abstract screening and full-text assessment, will extract information using double data entry, and will appraise studies' quality using the Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Any disagreements will be discussed with a third reviewer. Publication bias will be evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's test. In addition to a narrative summary of results, meta-analyses will be conducted using results from at least three studies. Three-level random effect models will allow to derive pooled estimates from dependent effect sizes (from the same sample or study). In case of significant heterogeneity, moderation analyses will be performed considering participants' characteristics and methodological aspects of studies. The results will be reported according to the PRISMA guidelines, and the certainty of evidence will be assessed using the GRADE approach.

DISCUSSION

In highlighting parenting factors associated with NFSB and in estimating the overall strength of these associations in children and youth, our results will inform further intervention and prevention strategies designed for young people experiencing NFSB and their families.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42020165345.

Becoming a perfectionistic adolescent: Perceived parental behaviors involved in developmental trajectories of perfectionism

Perfectionism is a pervasive and prevalent personality disposition with high implications for psychological maladjustment. Adolescence represents a particularly relevant period for the development of perfectionism, and perceived parental behaviors have been shown to play an important part. Yet, so far only few longitudinal studies have investigated the role of risk and protective parental behaviors in the development of perfectionism in adolescents. Examining a sample of 744 adolescents ( Mage = 15.2 years), the present study investigated developmental trajectories of self-oriented, socially prescribed, and other-oriented perfectionism over four waves spaced five to six months apart. Results of growth mixture modeling showed that self-oriented perfectionism followed three developmental trajectories (low and decreasing; medium and decreasing; high and stable) as did socially prescribed perfectionism (low and stable; medium and increasing; high and stable). Other-oriented perfectionism showed four developmental trajectories (low and decreasing; low and stable; high and stable; high and increasing). Significant differences were observed between groups regarding all investigated perceived parental behaviors (psychological control, behavioral control, responsiveness, and autonomy support). Similarities and differences between the development of each form of perfectionism and the role of each parental behavior as well as implications of these findings for the understanding of the development of perfectionism in adolescence are discussed.

Processes linking socioeconomic disadvantage and neural correlates of cognitive control in adolescence

Socioeconomic status (SES) is broadly associated with self-regulatory abilities across childhood and adolescence. However, there is limited understanding of the mechanisms underlying this association, especially during adolescence when individuals are particularly sensitive to environmental influences. The current study tested perceived stress, household chaos, parent cognitive control, and parent-adolescent relationship quality as potential proximal mediators of the association between family SES and neural correlates of cognitive control. A sample of 167 adolescents and their primary caregivers participated in a longitudinal study across four years. SES was indexed by caregivers' education and income-to-needs ratio at Time 1. At Time 2, adolescents reported on their perceived stress, household chaos, and relationship with parents, and parents completed a cognitive control task. Two years later, adolescents completed the same cognitive control task while blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) response was monitored with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). A parallel mediation model indicated that parent cognitive control, but not other proximal factors, explained the relation between SES and adolescents' activation in the middle frontal gyrus during a cognitive control task. The results suggest potential targets for intervention and prevention efforts that may positively alter neurocognitive outcomes related to socioeconomic disadvantage.

Children's effortful control moderates the relationship between parental psychological control and adolescents' depressive symptoms

The present study examined the interactions of adolescents' temperamental effortful control and parental psychological control on adolescents' depressive symptoms in China. A total of 440 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 20 years (M_age = 15.7) participated in this study. Data on parental psychological control, adolescents' depressive symptoms and effortful control were collected from self-reports. Results showed that adolescents' effortful control moderated the link between paternal psychological control and adolescents' depressive symptoms. Specifically, for adolescents with low levels of effortful control, paternal psychological control was positively associated with increased depressive symptoms whereas for adolescents with a high level of effortful control, this association was not significant. In addition, maternal psychological control was associated with adolescents' depressive symptoms. These findings confirmed and extended previous findings on the associations between parental psychological control, children's temperament effortful control, and depressive symptoms in adolescence.

Towards an integrated account of the development of self-regulation from a neurocognitive perspective: A framework for current and future longitudinal multi-modal investigations

Self-regulation is the ability to monitor and modulate emotions, behaviour, and cognition in order to adapt to changing circumstances. Developing adequate self-regulation is associated with better social coping and higher educational achievement later in life; poor self-regulation has been linked to a variety of detrimental developmental outcomes. Here, we focus on the development of neurocognitive processes essential for self-regulation. We outline a conceptual framework emphasizing that this is inherently an integrated, dynamic process involving interactions between brain maturation, child characteristics (genetic makeup, temperament, and pre- and perinatal factors) and environmental factors (family characteristics, parents and siblings, peers, and broader societal influences including media development). We introduce the Consortium of Individual Development (CID), which combines a series of integrated large-scale, multi-modal, longitudinal studies to take essential steps towards the ultimate goal of understanding and supporting this process.