Danielle Delany, Cecilia Cheung, Jorge Monroy Implications of Parent-Oriented Motivation for Adolescents’ Well-Being: An Investigation in the United States, China, and Japan Danielle Delany, Cecilia Cheung, Jorge Monroy University of California, Riverside Yusuke Takahashi Kyoto University Rebecca Cheung Hong Kong Institute of Education

Parent-Oriented Motivation What is it? Motivation for school Driven by parents’ expectations Why is it useful? Declines in intrinsic motivation1 School engagement and achievement2 Does parent-oriented motivation have implications for adolescents’ well-being? What is parent-oriented motivation? Children’s motivation in school is parent oriented when it is driven by a concern with meeting parents’ expectations in the academic arena so as to gain their approval. Why is POM useful? Intrinsic motivation for doing well in school declines in adolescence (e.g., Nicholls, 1984) Previous research indicates that adolescents’ heightened desire to obtain approval from parents or parent-oriented motivation, beyond intrinsic motivation, is conducive to adolescents’ school engagement and achievement in the United States and China (e.g., Cheung & Pomerantz, 2012). Research Question However, it is unclear whether these effects extend to adolescents’ well-being (e.g., happiness). 1Nicholls (1984); 2Cheung & Pomerantz (2012)

Parent-Oriented Motivation and Well-Being School Engagement1 Engagement, achievement, and well-being Goals and Purpose2 Goals and well-being Sense of purpose in academic context Sense of purpose in the home setting Parental involvement3 School Engagement Previous research indicates that having a high level of school engagement is positively associated with academic success, and negatively associated with students’ ill-being, such as depressive symptoms and burnout. High engagement in school also fosters several aspects of students’ well-being, such as positive emotions and life satisfaction. **Link this first part to the next one. “One of the reasons why school engagement may facilitate well-being is because goals may be particularly useful for adolescents, and having a sense of purpose, regardless of where it comes from (e.g., autonomous or controlled) may lead to well-being and positive affect Goals and Purpose Previous research (Cheung and Pomerantz, 2012) suggesting that children may experience their parents’ academic goals as their own when given autonomy from parents. In turn, adolescents’ well-being may then benefit from having and meeting these goals. Family obligation, similar to POM, is associated fewer depressive symptoms (Fuligni & Zhang, 2004) (home setting); Please parents as they are a central in adolescents’ lives Parental Involvement Research indicates that parental involvement is conducive to adolescents’ academic achievement and well-being Cheung and Pomerantz (2012) demonstrated that parent involvement was a precursor to POM Therefore, it my be that POM is a component of parental involvement which may be beneficial for adolescents’ well-being 1Upadyaya & Salmela-Aro (2013); Pomerantz et al., 2012, 2Cheung and Pomerantz, (2012); 3Wang & Sheikh‐Khalil (2014)

Parent-Oriented Motivation – The Role of Autonomy Support Provides psychological benefits1,2,3 Parent-oriented motivation within the context of autonomy The role of culture1,4 US, China, Japan According to self determination theory, the need for autonomy is one of the three universal psychological needs that is essential for facilitating optimal functioning. Previous research identified that the need for autonomy is consistent across cultures. (Hahn, & Oishi, 2006; Sheldon, Elliot, Kim, & Kasser, 2001; Sheldon & Filak, 2008) (Ford, 1992; Iyengar & DeVoe, 2003; Markus, Kitayama, & Heiman, 1996). Previous research suggests that children across cultures evidence a number of psychological benefits (e.g., adjustment and well-being) with greater autonomy (Zhou, Ma, Deci, 2009). Thus, parent-oriented motivation may enhance adolescents’ well-being particularly when adolescents feel they have enough autonomy from their parents. For example, when adolescents are allowed to make choices with minimal parental influence, their desire to do well in school for their parents may lead to heightened well-being. Cheung and Pomerantz (2012) found that the associations between children’s parent-oriented motivation in school and their controlled and autonomous motivation in school were similar in the US and China, indicating consistency in the nature of American and Chinese children’s parent-oriented motivation. Heightened extrinsic motivation can lead to psychological distress (e.g., Deci & Ryan, 2000). Given that there is little research to date exploring the link between POM and WB, we thought it would be interesting to explore the associations between parent-oriented motivation and adolescents’ well-being across the three countries of interest- the US, China, and Japan. 1Ryan & Deci, (2000); 2Zhou, Ma, Deci, (2009); 3Deci & Ryan, (1985), 4Markus & Kitayama, 1991;

Research Questions Is parent-oriented motivation associated with adolescents’ well-being in the US, China, and Japan? Do feelings of autonomy moderate the association between parent-oriented motivation and adolescents’ well-being?

Participants American, Chinese, and Japanese adolescents in the 7th and 8th grades participated in the study (N = 907). Design 3-wave longitudinal study Focus on the Wave 1 Surveys administration method US N = 294 China N = 235 Japan N= 378

Measures Parent-Oriented Motivation (10-items αs > .80) e.g., “I try to do well in school because I want my parents’ approval.” Parental Autonomy Support (13 items; αs > .80) e.g., “My parents allow me to make choices whenever possible.” Positive Emotions (8 items αs > .80) Adolescents’ reported on their experience of positive emotions in the last two weeks (e.g., “happy”, “joyful”). *****All measures attained at least partial metric measurement Invariance allowing for meaningful comparisons of the associations across the three countries. Partial metric invariance attained

Analyses Zero-order correlations Regression analyses Moderation effects Autonomy support Country Zero-order correlations between parent-oriented motivation, autonomy support and positive emotions.

Zero-Order Correlations The more adolescents’ motivations were oriented toward parents, the more they experienced positive emotions (rs = .26 to .36); the association did not differ between the three countries (zs < 1, ns). POM & PE US and China: Z = .77 p = .22 US and Japan: Z = 0 p = .5 China and Japan: Z = -.81 p = .21 POM & AS US and China: Z = -4.33 p = .001 US and Japan: Z = -1.77 p = .04 China and Japan: Z = 2.9 p = .002 Associations between POM and AS not functioning similarly across the three countries AS & PE US and China: Z = .13 p = .45 US and Japan: Z = -.75 p = .23 China and Japan: Z = -.84 p = .20

Zero-Order Correlations The more adolescents’ motivations were oriented toward parents, the more they experienced positive emotions (rs = .26 to .36); the association did not differ between the three countries (zs < 1, ns). POM & PE US and China: Z = .77 p = .22 US and Japan: Z = 0 p = .5 China and Japan: Z = -.81 p = .21 POM & AS US and China: Z = -4.33 p = .001 US and Japan: Z = -1.77 p = .04 China and Japan: Z = 2.9 p = .002 Associations between POM and AS not functioning similarly across the three countries AS & PE US and China: Z = .13 p = .45 US and Japan: Z = -.75 p = .23 China and Japan: Z = -.84 p = .20

Zero-Order Correlations The more adolescents’ motivations were oriented toward parents, the more they experienced positive emotions (rs = .26 to .36); the association did not differ between the three countries (zs < 1, ns). POM & PE US and China: Z = .77 p = .22 US and Japan: Z = 0 p = .5 China and Japan: Z = -.81 p = .21 POM & AS US and China: Z = -4.33 p = .001 US and Japan: Z = -1.77 p = .04 China and Japan: Z = 2.9 p = .002 Associations between POM and AS not functioning similarly across the three countries AS & PE US and China: Z = .13 p = .45 US and Japan: Z = -.75 p = .23 China and Japan: Z = -.84 p = .20

Zero-Order Correlations The more adolescents’ motivations were oriented toward parents, the more they experienced positive emotions (rs = .26 to .36); the association did not differ between the three countries (zs < 1, ns). POM & PE US and China: Z = .77 p = .22 US and Japan: Z = 0 p = .5 China and Japan: Z = -.81 p = .21 POM & AS US and China: Z = -4.33 p = .001 US and Japan: Z = -1.77 p = .04 China and Japan: Z = 2.9 p = .002 Associations between POM and AS not functioning similarly across the three countries AS & PE US and China: Z = .13 p = .45 US and Japan: Z = -.75 p = .23 China and Japan: Z = -.84 p = .20

Moderation Results In all countries the association between parent-oriented motivation and positive emotions did not depend on parents’ provision of autonomy support (bs < .50, ns).

Conclusions & Future Directions POM is associated with the experience of positive emotions Parent-oriented motivation may be a special form of extrinsic motivation Relationship with parents POM and PE not moderated by AS Interestingly, the association between POM and AS is moderated by culture (strongest association in China) Next steps Longitudinal effects Exploring other moderators/ mediators Parent-oriented motivation may be a special form of extrinsic motivation due to the finding that a desire to please parents through school engagement is beneficial to adolescents’ well-being. The association may not be dependent on autonomy support as parent-oriented motivation is seen as both extrinsic and autonomous motivation. Associations between POM and AS not functioning similarly across the three countries, may be that these differences in their associations made it not moderate

Thank you! Cecilia Cheung Collaborators Kyoto University Hong Kong Institute of Education Culture and Child Development Lab UCWBC organizers and attendees