Predictors of Maternal Psychological Control: Adolescent Behavioral Antecedents and the Mediating Role of Mother-Adolescent Conflict

This study examined the direction of indirect effects for mother-adolescent conflict as a mediator between specific adolescent problem behaviors (i.e., aggression and depressive symptoms) and maternal psychological control over the transition to adolescence. Three years of self-report data were collected from 159 mothers and their adolescents (55.3% girls), as the adolescents completed 6th-8th grades. Simultaneous child-driven and parent-driven indirect effects models were tested using longitudinal path analysis. Results indicated that over three time points, the connection between adolescent aggression (and depressive symptoms) and maternal psychological control was best supported as child-driven, indirect, and mediated by mother-adolescent conflict; there were no indications of parent-driven indirect effects in the current study. This research corroborates other recent studies finding support for child effects on parenting behaviors during early adolescence.