Autonomy vs. Control: Associations Among Parental Mediation, Perceived Parenting Styles, and U. S. Adolescents' Risky Online Experiences

Parenting that supports autonomy and promotes open communication leads to better outcomes for adolescents. In an era of digital media, however, adolescent desire for autonomy may conflict with parental mediation practices that exert control over media use. A survey of 356 U.S. parent-child dyads was conducted. Regression analyses showed that withdrawing access to digital media as punishment is negatively associated with adolescent perception of autonomy-supportive parenting, while monitoring and punishment are positively associated with perception of controlling parenting. Results of a mediation analysis suggest that adolescent perceptions of controlling parenting are associated with the expectation of adverse outcomes from communication. The results of our study suggest parents can best protect children from risky online experiences by supporting adolescent autonomy through active mediation.