Associations Between Parental Autonomy Support and Emerging Adult Adjustment and Risk

Introduction: Research has identified an association between parental autonomy support and a host of positive outcomes. Parental autonomy support is characterized by behaviors that support youth independence, competence and pursuit of goals. Outcomes have included academic achievement, positive peer relations, self-regulation, and reduced substance use. Limited research has examined the impact of parental autonomy support during emerging adulthood (ages 18-25) on risk and adjustment. Examining such associations is important, as emerging adulthood is a period of heightened risk for substance use and risky sexual behaviors. Past research on parenting behaviors during emerging adulthood is limited by oversampling from homogeneous college student samples, and use of parenting measures designed to measure parenting during adolescence. No studies have utilized observational data on parenting behaviors. The current study explores associations between parental autonomy support during emerging adulthood and emerging adult academic success, substance use, and risky sexual behavior using observational and self-report data.

Method: The study sample consisted of 201 ethnically diverse youth and their caregivers who participated in a school-based, family-centered substance use prevention delivered during middle school years. Data were collected four times during middle and high school. Data were subsequently collected during emerging adulthood when youth were ages 19-20. The current study utilizes emerging adult time-point data, which includes youth- and parent-report data on risk behaviors, adjustment and parenting; and observational data capturing family interactions and parenting behaviors.

Results: Parental autonomy support was positively associated with high school graduation, grade point average, and use of contraceptives. Autonomy support was negatively related to number of emerging adult sexual partners in the last 3 months, number of times emerging adults had sex without contraception, the occurrence of insemination, and the number of substances emerging adults used in their lifetime and in the past three months.

 

Conclusions: These findings shed light on the importance of examining parenting behaviors, particularly parental autonomy support, during emerging adulthood. Parental autonomy support of emerging adult children may promote health behaviors and lower engagement in risk behaviors of high prevalence during this developmental period. Targeting parenting behaviors may be a fruitful path for preventative interventions for emerging adults.