Distinct Roles of Parental Autonomy Support and Psychological Control in Chinese Elementary School Students’ Intelligence Mindsets and Academic Outcomes

Despite extensive exploration of parental autonomy support and psychological control, certain ambiguities exist regarding their relationships with children’s intelligence mindsets and academic outcomes. Based on a sample of 484 Chinese elementary school students, we aimed to elucidate the distinct roles of parental autonomy support and psychological control in predicting children’s academic engagement and achievement. Additionally, we examined the potential mediating effects of children’s intelligence mindsets in these relationships. Our findings revealed children’s growth mindset acted as a mediator in the link between parental autonomy support and children’s behavioral engagement. Conversely, children’s fixed mindset mediated the pathway from parental psychological control to children’s disengagement. Moreover, a multi-group analysis unveiled that the impact of parental autonomy support was more pronounced among boys who also exhibited greater susceptibility to the adverse influence of a fixed mindset. This study contributes to our understanding of the psychological mechanisms and emphasizes the significance of parental autonomy support in cultivating children’s growth mindset.