Are Gains in Decision‐Making Autonomy During Early Adolescence Beneficial for Emotional Functioning? The Case of the United States and China

This research examined the role of children’s decision‐making autonomy in their emotional functioning during early adolescence in the United States and China. Four times over the 7th and 8th grades, 825 American and Chinese children (M = 12.73 years) reported on the extent to which they versus their parents make decisions about issues children often deem as under their authority. Children also reported on their emotional functioning. American children made greater gains over time in decision‐making autonomy than did Chinese children. Initial decision‐making autonomy predicted enhanced emotional functioning similarly among American and Chinese children. However, gains over time in decision‐making autonomy predicted enhanced emotional functioning more in the United States (vs. China) where such gains were normative.     

Does Adolescents' Disclosure to Their Parents Matter for Their Academic Adjustment?

The role of adolescents' disclosure to their parents in their academic adjustment was examined in a study of 825 American and Chinese adolescents (mean age = 12.73 years). Four times over the seventh and eighth grades, adolescents reported on their spontaneous disclosure of everyday activities to their parents, the quality of their relationships with their parents, and their parents' autonomy support and control. Information about multiple dimensions of adolescents' academic adjustment (e.g., learning strategies, autonomous vs. controlled motivation, and grades) was also obtained. Both American and Chinese adolescents' disclosure predicted their enhanced academic adjustment over time. However, when American adolescents disclosed in a negative context (e.g., a poor parent–child relationship or controlling parenting), their autonomous (vs. controlled) motivation was undermined.     

The Role of Mothers' Child-Based Worth in Their Affective Responses to Children's Performance

This research examined whether American and Chinese mothers' tendencies to base their worth on children's performance contributes to their affective responses to children's performance. Study 1 used daily interviews to assess mothers' warmth (vs. hostility) and children's school performance (N = 197; M_age = 12.81 years). In Study 2, such affect was observed in the laboratory following children's manipulated performance on cognitive problems (N = 128; M_age = 10.21 years). The more mothers based their worth on children's performance, the more their warmth (vs. hostility) decreased when children failed in Study 1. This pattern was evident only among Chinese mothers in Study 2. In both studies, child-based worth did not contribute to mothers' affective responses to children's success.     

Countering Youth's Negative Stereotypes of Teens Fosters Constructive Behavior

Adolescence can be a time of unconstructive behavior for many youth. This research examined if an intervention countering youth's stereotypes of teens as irresponsible fosters their constructive behavior. In two experimental intervention studies (Ns = 124 and 319) with seventh graders, stereotypes of teens as irresponsible were described as inaccurate portrayals; youth then provided their own observations of teens acting responsibly. Youth in this counterstereotyping intervention (vs. the control) held higher intentions for academic engagement and performed better on an academic task (i.e., a word-search puzzle). Over the 3 days following the intervention, their academic engagement was higher. Youth's risk taking was also reduced. Redirecting youth to see teens as responsible has the potential to provide a foundation for flourishing.     

Why Are Chinese Mothers More Controlling Than American Mothers? “My Child Is My Report Card”

Chinese parents exert more control over children than do American parents. The current research examined whether this is due in part to Chinese parents' feelings of worth being more contingent on children's performance. Twice over a year, 215 mothers and children (M_age = 12.86 years) in China and the United States (European and African American) reported on psychologically controlling parenting. Mothers also indicated the extent to which their worth is contingent on children's performance. Psychologically controlling parenting was higher among Chinese than American mothers, particularly European (vs. African) American mothers. Chinese (vs. American) mothers' feelings of worth were more contingent on children's performance, with this contributing to their heightened psychological control relative to American mothers.     

Distinguishing Multiple Dimensions of Conceptions of Ability: Implications for Self-Evaluation

Three separate lines of research have suggested that conceptions of ability may play a key role in the development of self-evaluation. Each line has focused on a different dimension of conceptions of ability: conceptions of ability as uncontrollable, conceptions of ability as constant, and conceptions of ability: as capacity. Unfortunately, there has been little attention to the convergences and divergences among the 3 dimensions. The present study examined this issue in 236 second- through fifth-grade children. Children indicated the extent to which they conceived of ability as uncontrollable, as constant, and as capacity. Two forms of self-evaluation (performance following failure and the extent to which self-perceptions of competence converge with external indicators of competence) were investigated. In addition, cognitive competence was assessed. The near-zero correlations, 3-factor solution yielded by confirmatory factor analysis, variability in age-related differences, differential links to cognitive competence, and diverse forms of self-evaluation among the 3 dimensions suggested that the 3 are relatively distinct, and that they may play different roles in the development of self-evaluation. Moreover, the 3 dimensions appear to interact with one another to influence self-evaluation.