The reciprocal relations between parental autonomy support and internalizing problems among Chinese early adolescents: The mediating role of self‐compassion

Although numerous studies have examined the association between parental autonomy support and adolescent internalizing problems, their within-person bidirectional dynamics and the underlying mediating mechanisms remain largely underexplored among Chinese early adolescents. The present study investigates the reciprocal relations between parental autonomy support and adolescents' internalizing problems, as well as the mediating role of self-compassion, using a four-wave longitudinal design and random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling (RI-CLPM). The sample comprised 4731 early adolescents from China (44.9% girls; M_age = 10.91, SD = 0.72), with data collected at 6-month intervals over an 18-month period. Results from the RI-CLPM revealed a bidirectional association between parental autonomy support and adolescents' internalizing problems, with self-compassion serving as a significant mediator in both directions. Specifically, higher levels of autonomy-supportive parenting predicted lower internalizing problems both directly and indirectly through increased self-compassion. Conversely, elevated internalizing symptoms predicted decreases in parental autonomy support, with self-compassion acting as a mediating pathway. These findings highlight a dynamic interplay between parenting and adolescent internalizing problems, emphasizing the dual role of family support and self-related emotional capacities in shaping psychological adjustment. Interventions aimed at enhancing autonomy-supportive parenting and strengthening adolescents' self-compassion may be particularly effective in mitigating internalizing difficulties during early adolescence.