Maternal child-based worth predicts children’s academic contingent self-worth via perceived maternal achievement-oriented psychological control

Abstract

This study examined the longitudinal associations among maternal child-based worth, perceived maternal achievement-oriented psychological control, and children’s academic contingent self-worth over a one-year period in 274 Chinese children. Results showed that, after the autoregressive effects were controlled, higher levels of maternal child-based worth longitudinally predicted higher levels of perceived maternal achievement-oriented psychological control. Higher levels of perceived maternal achievement-oriented psychological control at an earlier time point were also linked to higher levels of children’s academic contingent self-worth later. However, earlier levels of children’s academic contingent self-worth did not predict their perceptions of maternal psychological control longitudinally. The findings suggest that parents should be aware that their own contingent self-worth may be transferred from one generation to another through maladaptive parenting practice. They are advised not to over-identify with the wins and losses of their children and to consider whether they may have stepped over the autonomy of children inadvertently.

Keywords:

• Child-based worth
• contingent self-worth
• psychological control
• Chinese
• culture
• parenting

Consent form

Informed consent was obtained from each participant included in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

Not applicable.