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Chinese Parental Involvement and Adolescent Learning Motivation and Subjective Well-Being: More is not Always Better

Author

Listed:
  • Ruoxuan Li

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Meilin Yao

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Hongrui Liu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Yunxiang Chen

    (Beijing Normal University)

Abstract

Parental involvement in education has been positively associated with children’s academic development and well-being, but whether high parental involvement, regardless of its form, always yields desirable results in adolescent development remains debatable. The purpose of this study was to investigate the integral contributions of parental involvement, autonomy support, and psychological control in predicting adolescent learning motivation (i.e., achievement goals and academic engagement) and subjective well-being (SWB) by implementing a person-centered approach. Participants included 3378 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 15.60, SD = 1.55; 1513 boys), who completed a survey. Results revealed four parenting profiles: high control‒low involvement (Profile 1; 7.55%), moderate all (Profile 2; 50.65%), high all (Profile 3; 4.00%), and high autonomy support–moderate involvement (Profile 4; 37.80%). Adolescents in Profile 4 were more adaptive, more engaged, and happier than those in other profiles; and those in Profile 1 were more maladaptive, a condition relating to poorer development. Although adolescents in Profile 3 also perceived both high involvement and autonomy support from parents, they actually exhibited levels of learning motivation and SWB similar to those in Profile 2 and experienced higher performance-avoidance goals, negative affect, and lower life satisfaction relative to Profile 4. Findings suggest that more perceived parental involvement is not always better because the effectiveness of involvement partly depends on the approach that parents take.

Suggested Citation

  • Ruoxuan Li & Meilin Yao & Hongrui Liu & Yunxiang Chen, 2020. "Chinese Parental Involvement and Adolescent Learning Motivation and Subjective Well-Being: More is not Always Better," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(7), pages 2527-2555, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jhappi:v:21:y:2020:i:7:d:10.1007_s10902-019-00192-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10902-019-00192-w
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Catherine Ratelle & Karine Simard & Frédéric Guay, 2013. "University Students’ Subjective Well-being: The Role of Autonomy Support from Parents, Friends, and the Romantic Partner," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(3), pages 893-910, June.
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    4. Siew Yap & Rozumah Baharudin, 2016. "The Relationship Between Adolescents’ Perceived Parental Involvement, Self-Efficacy Beliefs, and Subjective Well-Being: A Multiple Mediator Model," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(1), pages 257-278, March.
    5. Sebastiano Costa & Francesca Cuzzocrea & Maria C. Gugliandolo & Rosalba Larcan, 2016. "Associations Between Parental Psychological Control and Autonomy Support, and Psychological Outcomes in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Need Satisfaction and Need Frustration," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 9(4), pages 1059-1076, December.
    6. Zhu, Yajing & Steele, Fiona & Moustaki, Irini, 2017. "A general 3-step maximum likelihood approach to estimate the effects of multiple latent categorical variables on a distal outcome," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 81850, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    1. Liu, Shifan & Wang, Meifang & Fu, Cong, 2021. "Maternal academic involvement and adolescents’ subjective well-being: The mediating role of adolescents’ academic adjustment in China," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    2. Stijn Van Petegem & Cindy Eira Nunes & Bénédicte Mouton & Annalisa Soncini & Elli-Anastasia Lamprianidou & Nino Skhirtladze & Emilio Paolo Visintin, 2025. "Love, Money and Involved Parenting? Associations Between Parents’ Perceptions of Economic Inequality, Financial Scarcity, and Their School Involvement," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 21-34, March.
    3. Simeng Li & Xiaozhe Meng & Yuke Xiong & Ruiping Zhang & Ping Ren, 2024. "The Developmental Trajectory of Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Early Adolescents: The Role of Gender and Parental Involvement," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(2), pages 731-752, April.

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