The mediating role of positive youth development and the moderating role of mindfulness in the relationship between parental psychological control and anxiety

Previous studies have revealed that parental psychological control has a significant and lasting effect on increasing anxiety. However, few studies have examined the underlying mechanisms of this relationship from the perspective of positive psychology. The present study aims to explore the mediating role of positive youth development (PYD) and the moderating role of mindfulness in the relationship between parental psychological control and anxiety among Chinese adolescents. Totally 1,752 junior high school students completed questionnaires measuring their levels of perceived father's/mother's psychological control (FPC/MPC), anxiety, PYD, and mindfulness. Correlations among the variables were computed using Pearson's r. Mediation and moderated mediation models were tested by using the PROCESS macro with the regression bootstrapping method. The results showed that: (1) FPC/MPC were positively associated with anxiety; (2) PYD partially mediated the FPC/MPC-anxiety association; and (3) both the FPC/MPC-PYD and FPC/MPC-anxiety relationships were moderated by mindfulness. From the above results, it could be inferred as below. Parents exercising less psychological control over their children in daily life may help reduce the risk of anxiety in adolescents. Cultivating positive youth development is crucial for adolescents' mental health, as it may play a significant role in the relationship between parental psychological control and anxiety. Mindfulness may buffer the effects of parental psychological control in relation to positive youth development and anxiety.