Adolescent temperament and parental control in the development of the adolescent decision making in a Chilean sample

Abstract
The study analyzes the way in which adolescents' temperamental characteristics interact with parental control to shape adolescent decision making development. A sample of high-school Chilean adolescents (N = 391) answered a self-report questionnaire that included measures of behavioral autonomy (the extent to which adolescents make decisions in personal and prudential domains), parental behavioral and psychological control, and temperamental characteristics. A path analysis model indicated that adolescents' anger-frustration had a direct association with decision-making in the personal and prudential domains; fearfulness had an inverse association with adolescent decision-making, but only in the prudential domain. Perceived psychological control was associated with adolescents' reduced decision-making autonomy in the personal domain, while perceived behavioral control was associated with less adolescent autonomy in both personal and prudential domains. Additionally, a moderation effect was found such that the association of parental behavioral control on decision-making in the prudential domain was dependent on the adolescent fearfulness level. (C) 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Keywords
Adolescent decision making, Behavioral autonomy, Psychological control, Behavioral control, Adolescent temperament, PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTROL, BEHAVIORAL AUTONOMY, SELF-DETERMINATION, AUTHORITY, LEGITIMACY, BELIEFS, SOCIALIZATION, EXPECTATIONS, ANTECEDENTS, CONCEPTIONS
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