Kids of controlling parents grow up to be sad adults
Children with psychologically controlling parents grow up to have lower mental wellbeing than those with less controlling parents. The effect of having controlling parents was similar to a recent death of a relative or close friend.
“We found that people whose parents showed warmth and responsiveness had higher life satisfaction and better mental wellbeing throughout early, middle and late adulthood,” explains lead author Dr Mai Stafford from the MRC Unit for Lifelong Health & Ageing at UCL.
“By contrast, psychological control was significantly associated with lower life satisfaction and mental wellbeing. Examples of psychological control include not allowing children to make their own decisions, invading their privacy and fostering dependence.”
In contrast to psychological control, behavioral control had no effect on a child’s mental wellbeing. Behavioral control is generally not letting kids have their own way, like go out as much as they like.
The study was conducted by the University College of London. The lifelong study monitored the mental wellbeing of participants in the Medical Research Council (MRC) National Survey of Health and Development between the ages of 13 and 64.
The survey tracked 5,362 people since their birth in 1946, of whom 2,800 remain under active follow-up. 3,699 participants had complete wellbeing data at ages 13-15, falling to approximately 2,000 by ages 60-64.
“We know from other studies that if a child shares a secure emotional attachment with their parents, they are better able to form secure attachments in adult life,” explains Dr. Stafford.
“Parents also give us a stable base from which to explore the world, while warmth and responsiveness has been shown to promote social and emotional development. By contrast, psychological control can limit a child’s independence and leave them less able to regulate their own behaviour.”
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