Children's externalizing behaviors and parenting practices in school-related tasks: Parental basic psychological needs as mediators.

Abstract

Children's externalizing behaviors can strain parents and contribute to suboptimal parenting practices (Yan et al., 2021). However, the mechanisms through which children's behaviors shape parenting practices are not fully understood. Drawing on a child-driven effects perspective, this study aimed to examine whether the relationship between children's externalizing behaviors and parenting practices in school-related tasks (i.e., parents' levels of autonomy support and psychological control) was mediated by parents' basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration with regard to their involvement in their child's schooling. The data were collected from 1,460 parents (75% mothers; M_age = 38 years, SD = 5.5) of elementary students in Grades 1 and 2 over a 3-year period. Structural equation models with bias-corrected bootstrapped coefficients were estimated to test indirect relationships. Results revealed that externalizing behaviors (T1) were associated with decreases in autonomy support (T3) through reduced parental need satisfaction (T2) and with higher levels of psychological control (T3) through increased parental need frustration (T2). Unexpectedly, externalizing behaviors were also associated with reduced psychological control through lower parental need satisfaction. These pathways were consistent for both mothers and fathers. By examining the interplay between children's behaviors, parents' psychological needs, and parenting practices, this longitudinal research provides insights into the predictive factors of nurturing and supportive tendencies in parents. Practical implications for families and school practitioners are discussed, including strategies for enhancing parental need satisfaction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).