Parental autonomy support and its implication for children’s self-esteem, emotional health, and prosocial tendencies

Abstract

Self-determination theory (SDT) deems autonomy to be one of three universal needs for all humans. Autonomy supportive parenting is characterized as parental responsiveness towards children’s emotions, feelings, ideas, and perspectives. This paper emphasizes the SDT definition of autonomy as feeling volitional control over one’s actions compared to the common misconception of autonomy as being a sense of independence and individualism. It discusses the application of SDT in both Western and Eastern societies and aims to highlight the importance of autonomy supportive parenting. The literature reveals that the need for autonomy is prevalent in both Western and Eastern societies. The fulfillment of autonomy needs in early childhood and adolescence has been associated with better emotional health, higher self-esteem, and promotes prosociality. Thus, suggesting that early autonomy support provided by caregivers builds a foundation for better developmental outcomes later in life. These findings may be especially pertinent for future investigations regarding autonomy support as a potential mitigator for mental health concerns later in life.