A Longitudinal Study of How Autonomy Supportive Parenting Relates to Motivation, Coping, and Well-Being Across the Transition to College

Prinz, Ishaan

A Longitudinal Study of How Autonomy Supportive Parenting Relates to Motivation, Coping, and Well-Being Across the Transition to College

Files

2018PrinzI.pdf(593.88 KB)

2018PrinzI_release.pdf(100.24 KB)

Date

2018

Authors

Prinz, Ishaan

Advisor

Lilgendahl, Jennifer

Department

Haverford College. Department of Psychology

Type

Thesis

Language

eng

Access Restrictions

Open Access

Terms of Use

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

Abstract

Autonomy supportive parenting and parental involvement are associated with many positive life outcomes. On the basis of self-determination theory (SDT), our longitudinal study examined how students’ perceptions of parenting related to well-being across the transition to college. We also explored how academic high point and low point narratives mediated this process through the respective mechanisms of motivation and coping. Our main sample consisted of N = 375 students from the Identity Pathways Project who took part in four waves of data collection (summer before freshman year to fall of sophomore year). We found that students who perceived their parents to be less autonomy supportive and more involved decreased significantly in wellbeing across the four waves. While neither motivation nor coping mediated this relationship, adaptive coping themes were associated with higher well-being. Finally, our data indicate that autonomy supportive parenting is cross-culturally important for well-being, as suggested by SDT.