Presenter(s)

• Shiyuan Chen, School Psychology PhD Student, Northern Illinois University
• Shiyuan Chen, School Psychology PhD Student, Northern Illinois University

Abstract

Recent trends indicate a rise in mental health issues among youth, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores the role of parental psychological control (PPC) in shaping adolescents' psychosocial development and its association with internalizing problems such as depression and anxiety. The research utilizes the Psychological Control Scale-Youth Self Report, the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS; Malecki, Demaray, & Elliott, 2000), school phobia, social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder subscales of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders revised version (SCARED-R; Birmaher et al., 1999), and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977) to assess the impact of PPC on adolescent mental health, with a particular focus on the moderating effects of peer social support. Data collection involved participants aged 11-13 from a diverse middle school demographic. Preliminary results suggest that close friend social support significantly moderates the relationship between PPC and adolescents’ symptoms of depression and anxiety. Classmate social support, however, showed no significant moderating effect. This study highlights the importance of peer relationships in mitigating the negative impacts of PPC, suggesting potential directions for targeted interventions to improve youth mental health outcomes.