Legitimacy of parental authority in emerging adulthood: Effects of support, demands, and psychological control

Abstract Objective The present study aimed to relate parental support, demand, and psychological control with heterogeneity in beliefs about the legitimacy of parental authority during emerging adulthood. Background Previous research has established a relationship between parental styles and the beliefs about the legitimacy of parental authority in adolescents, which varies according to the domains defined by the social‐cognitive domain theory. However, it is unknown if this relationship is maintained in emerging adulthood. Method A total of 2,745 Chilean young people aged 18 to 30 years were surveyed. Through a latent class analysis, types of young people with heterogeneous beliefs of parental legitimacy were identified. Results Three distinct groups emerged: a group that legitimized parental authority for all issues consulted (i.e., personal, prudential, and multifaceted), a group that legitimized authority only for prudential issues, and a group that denied parental legitimacy for all issues. Furthermore, a multinomial regression showed that the probability of young people belonging to the different classes was related to parental demand and support and was independent of psychological control. Conclusion This result provides a better understanding of the role of parenting in the legitimacy that young people give to parental regulations during this stage. Implications The results indicate that parent–child bonds in emerging adulthood allow young people to gradually acquire autonomy and shape their identity during this stage while maintaining healthy interactions with their parents.