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. 2023 Aug 12;20(16):6568.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20166568.

Flourishing and Self-Control in Adolescence: The Role of Perceived Parenting

Maria Mirandi  1 , Adriana Lis  2 , Claudia Mazzeschi  1 , Jian-Bin Li  3 , Luciana Pagano Salmi  1 , Elisa Delvecchio  1
Affiliations

Flourishing and Self-Control in Adolescence: The Role of Perceived Parenting

Maria Mirandi et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Self-control is the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and impulses to pursuit of long-term goals. Adolescents with high self-control experience higher flourishing levels. The latter refers to the fulfillment of needs for competence, relationship, and self-acceptance, as well as the possession of psychological capital such as flow and commitment. High levels of self-control also seem to be linked to a positive relationship with parents, which is crucial in adolescent flourishing. However, few studies investigated the association between flourishing, self-control, and perceived parenting in adolescence. The aim of this study was to investigate how the ability to exert self-control and the need to perceive and preserve a responsive relationship with parents would facilitate adolescents' experience of higher flourishing levels. The relationships among self-control, adolescents' perception of some paternal and maternal dimensions (closeness, communication, and parents' peer approval), and flourishing were analyzed in a sample of 335 Italian adolescents. Self-control was positively correlated with flourishing and the adolescent's perception of maternal and paternal dimensions. The PROCESS model showed that perceived maternal and paternal dimensions mediate the relationship between self-control and flourishing. These findings show the importance of self-control and parenting dimensions in promoting flourishing during adolescence.

Keywords: adolescence; flourishing; perceived maternal and paternal parenting; self-control.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mediation model. Direct and indirect effects of self-control on flourishing, mediated by maternal and paternal closeness. Note. Slope coefficients are unstandardized; numbers in parentheses represent a significant indirect effect mediated by the presence of maternal and paternal closeness (5000 bootstrap samples, 95% confidence interval). M = maternal; P = paternal. ** p < 0.01.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mediation model. Direct and indirect effects of self-control on flourishing, mediated by maternal and paternal communication. Note. Slope coefficients are unstandardized; numbers in parentheses represent a significant indirect effect mediated by the presence of maternal and paternal communication (5000 bootstrap samples, 95% confidence interval). M = maternal; P = paternal. ** p < 0.01, * p < 0.05.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mediation model. Direct and indirect effects of self-control on flourishing, mediated by maternal and paternal peer approval. Note. Slope coefficients are unstandardized; numbers in parentheses represent a significant indirect effect mediated by the presence of maternal and paternal peer approval (5000 bootstrap samples, 95% confidence interval; M = maternal; P = paternal. ** p < 0.01.
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