Parental psychological control and academic functioning in Chinese high school students: A short-term longitudinal study

The present study aimed to examine the reciprocal relationship between parental psychological control and students’ academic functioning in urban China. Participants were 731 Chinese high school students in grade 10 (356 boys; M_age = 15.64 years, SD = 0.68). Two waves of 1-year longitudinal data were collected using student reports of parental psychological control and academic-related beliefs, strategies, and behaviours. Results showed that parental psychological control at Time 1 significantly triggered an increase in students’ maladaptive academic functioning at Time 2; and students’ adaptive academic functioning at Time 1 significantly predicted parental psychological control at Time 2. Limitations of the present study and implications for practice are discussed. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? According to self-determination theory, parental psychological control has been found to be harmful on students’ academic learning in Western societies. We know little about the relation between parental psychological control and academic functioning (adaptive vs. maladaptive) in Eastern societies such as China. What does this study add? Parental psychological control increased maladaptive academic functioning, and adaptive academic functioning decreased parental psychological control, suggesting a more fluid, dynamic parenting–child interaction over time. The predicted relations between parental psychological control and academic functioning of high school students hold across gender. More urbanized adolescents had a high tendency to perceive their parents as psychological controlling, suggesting a change in culture regarding the importance of personal autonomy for more urbanized adolescents.