Differential Effects of Parental Psychological Control on Boys' versus Girls' Smoking Development

This research examines how parental psychological control interacts with the other two parenting methods-parental responsiveness and behavioral control-to affect child smoking levels and growth from childhood to adolescence. The findings suggest that psychological control, as well as its interactions with other parenting methods, influence child smoking trajectory both directly and indirectly through affecting child self-esteem. Psychological control increases child smoking and interacts with parental responsiveness and behavioral control, which buffer its detrimental effects. More importantly, parenting methods differentially affect girls' and boys' self-esteem and smoking development, with girls being more sensitive to psychological control and to the buffering effects of parental responsiveness and behavioral control. Based on these findings, we provide new theoretical and substantive insights for public policymakers to develop targeted youth anti-smoking programs.