Based on self-determination theory and ecosystem theory, this study examines the mediating role of parent-child relationship between parental psychological control and middle school student life satisfaction, as well as the moderating effect of sensation seeking. The study uses a questionnaire survey method to predict the relationship between variables. The results indicate that: (1) Parental psychological control has a significant negative predictive effect on parent-child relationships and middle school student life satisfaction; (2) The parent-child relationship partially mediates the relationship between parental psychological control and middle school student life satisfaction; (3) The relationship between parental psychological control and life satisfaction in middle school students seeking trait regulation.
Shin DC, Johnson DM, 1978, Avowed Happiness as an Overall Assessment of the Quality of Life. Social Indicators Research, 5: 475–492.
Huebner ES, 2004, Research on Assessment of Life Satisfaction of Children and Adolescents. Social Indicators Research, 66(1–2): 3–33.
Bronfenbrenner U, 1979, The Ecology of Human Development. Harvard University Press, Boston.
Dew T, Huebner ES, 1994, Adolescents Perceived Quality of Life: An Exploratory Investigation. Journal of School Psychology, 32(2): 185–199.
Barber BK, 1996, Parental Psychological Control: Revisiting a Neglected Construct. Child Development, 67: 3296–3319.
Wang Q, Pomerantz EM, Chen H, 2007, The Role of Parents’ Control in Early Adolescents’ Psychological Functioning: A Longitudinal Investigation in the United States and China. Child Development, 78: 1592–1610.
Qu J, Li L, Scharf & Goldner, 2020, The Mechanism by Which Parental Psychological Control Affects Children. Basic Education Reference, 2020(9): 15.
Leung JP, Leung K, 1992, Life Satisfaction, Self-Concept and Disapproval on Delinquent Behavior in Adolescent. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 18(3): 345–359.
Zhang X, Guo H, Lin D, 2019, Research on the Relationship between Parent Child, Peer Teacher Student Relationships and Adolescents’ Subjective Well-Being. Psychological Development and Education, 2019(4): 1–11.
Zhou Z, Cao M, Tian Y, et al., 2021, Parent Child Relationship and Depression in Junior High School Students: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem and Emotional Resilience. Psychological Development and Education, 2021(6): 32–37.
Kim EK, Furlong MJ, Doudy E, 2019, Adolescents’ Personality Traits and Positive Psychological Orientations: Relations with Emotional Distress and Life Satisfaction Mediated by School Connectedness. Child Indicators Research, 1: 1–19.
Zuckerman M, Eysenck SB, Eysenck HJ, 1978, Sensation Seeking in England and America: Cross-Cultural, Age, and Sex Comparisons. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 46(1): 139.
Liu Y, Chen J, 2019, Nonlinear Relationship Between Parental Psychological Control and Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior: The Moderating Effect of Self-Esteem. Psychological Development and Education, 35(4): 401–410.
Lin X, Li L, Li Y, et al., 2014, The Relationship Between Parental Psychological Control and Depression and Aggressive Behavior in Children with ODD Symptoms. Psychological Development and Education, 30(6): 635–645.
Tian L, Wu Y, Yuan J, et al., 2017, The Relationship Between Parent-Child Relationships and Adolescent Risk-Taking Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model. Psychological Development and Education, 33(1): 76–84.