The relationship between parental psychological control and adolescents’ perceived happiness

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between parental psychological control and adolescent happiness through research conducted on 664 adolescents aged 12 to 18 in Bac Ninh Province and Hanoi. In this study, we used three tools to measure happiness: The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), and the Interdependent Happiness Scale (HIS). Additionally, the Psychological Control-Disrespect Scale (PCDS) was employed to assess the level of parental psychological control within families. The findings indicate that both paternal and maternal psychological control negatively correlate with adolescent happiness. Paternal and maternal psychological control most significantly impact life satisfaction (father: r = 0.23, mother: r = 0.25, p < 0.01), followed by mental well-being (father: r = 0.21, mother: r = 0.24, p < 0.01), and least influence interdependent happiness (father: r = 0.16, mother: r = 0.20, p < 0.01). The results highlight the importance of reducing parental psychological control to enhance adolescent happiness.