Parental Psychological Control in Childhood: A Systematic Review based on Self-Determination Theory

The influence of parental psychological control on children’s development is a critical area of research. This systematic review explores the outcomes of parental psychological control on children during childhood, within the framework of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). The review included 14 studies that used SDT to assess parental psychological control and children’s developmental outcomes. Studies evaluated were primarily cross-sectional and with heterogeneous samples. The systematic synthesis of the findings emphasizes the detrimental impact of parental psychological control on children’s well-being and developmental outcomes, thus highlighting the pivotal role of parenting style in children’s growth. Overall, this review contributes to enhancing the understanding of the relationship between parental psychological control and children’s outcomes, providing valuable insights for future research and interventions.