ABSTRACT
Autonomy support has been identified as a key parenting dimension associated with positive motivational and adjustment outcomes for children and adolescents. According to Self-Determination Theory (SDT), the positive effects of autonomy support accrue because such parenting meets children’s innate need for autonomy. However, recent perspectives from SDT and other theories suggest that, while it is key for parents to satisfy children’s need for autonomy, the ways in which parents do so may differ in different contexts, as may children’s experiences of certain parents’ behaviors as supporting their autonomy. This chapter explores the experience and effects of parenting behaviors purported to be controlling or autonomy-supportive across different domains (e.g., the personal, the prudential), cultures, and contexts (e.g., safe or unsafe neighborhoods). The findings reviewed suggest the importance of considering domain, culture, and context in understanding controlling and autonomy-supportive parenting behavior.
