Parental Autonomy Support and Interpersonal Forgiveness: The Mediator Role of Gratitude and the Moderating Role of Resilience

doi:10.16719/j.cnki.1671-6981.20240113

Abstract

Abstract: Forgiveness and gratitude are two traditional virtues in Chinese culture. Harmonious family environments, especially positive parenting, are protective factors for cultivating forgiveness. According to the Self-determination Theory, parental autonomy support refers to parenting that provides opportunities for children to self-regulate and encourages them to make self-determined decisions. Individuals growing up in autonomy-supportive parenting tend to have healthy psychological conditions, high academic performance, and less deviant behaviors. Based on the Self-determination Theory, the present study proposed that, regarding the relationship between the two variables, parental autonomy support would positively correlate with forgiveness. The model of empirical work in basic psychological need satisfaction (BPNS) indicates that a need-supportive context predicts adjustment through satisfying BPNS, and gratitude represents BPNS. Individuals with high gratitude have high relationship quality and pro-social behaviors, and gratitude is a predictor of interpersonal forgiveness. Cultivating gratitude is a vital task for parents in their children’s socialization. Parenting is associated with gratitude in emerging adults. Hence, based on the BPNS model, the present study aimed to examine whether gratitude mediates the relationship between parental autonomy support and interpersonal forgiveness and hypothesizes that parental autonomy support positively predicts interpersonal forgiveness through gratitude. The BPNS model also shows that personality characteristics moderate the mechanism of a need-supportive context on adjustment. Resilience is the capacity of individuals to gain positive outcomes, even in adverse and stressful situations. High gratitude and interpersonal forgiveness levels have been found in highly resilient individuals. However, to our knowledge, no study has examined whether resilience moderated the relationship between parental autonomy support and interpersonal forgiveness. Based on the previous literature, this study proposed that the indirect relationship between parental autonomy support and interpersonal forgiveness through gratitude would be more robust for higher-resilience individuals.
This study recruited 720 undergraduates from three Chinese universities with a mean age of 19.51±1.06 years. Excluding those questionnaires with large missing information, data from 690 participants (female = 377) were retained for analysis. They completed questionnaires on parental autonomy support, interpersonal forgiveness, gratitude, and resilience. Harman’s single-factor test showed no significant common method bias in the current data. Zero-order correlations revealed a positive association between parental autonomy support, interpersonal forgiveness, gratitude, and resilience. PROCESS Marco in SPSS (Version 25.0) was used to examine the mediating role of gratitude and the moderating role of resilience. Results revealed that gratitude mediated the relationship between parental autonomy support and interpersonal forgiveness. Resilience moderated the indirect effect by moderating the path between parental autonomy support and gratitude. However, as opposed to our hypothesis, the results indicated that the indirect effect was greater in low-resilience participants (vs. high resilience). The current research uncovers the mechanisms of parental autonomy support on interpersonal forgiveness among undergraduate students. We expand on previous literature by examining the effect of parental autonomy on children and adolescents. We also support and broaden the applied scope of the model of empirical work in BPNS. In practice, we highlight the importance of positive parenting (i.e., parental autonomy support) to cultivate undergraduates’ virtues.

Key words: parental autonomy support, interpersonal forgiveness, gratitude, resilience

摘要： 宽恕是中华民族的传统美德。本研究旨在分析父母自主支持是否通过感恩预测成人初显期个体的人际宽恕以及心理弹性对这一过程中的调节作用。研究采用问卷法调查了690名大学生的父母自主支持、感恩、人际宽恕和心理弹性。结果表明,父母自主支持正向预测人际宽恕,感恩在二者关系中起中介作用。心理弹性通过调节父母自主支持与感恩的关系进而调节中介作用,具体而言,中介作用在心理弹性低的大学生中更强。本研究的结论：父母自主支持通过提升大学生的感恩进而让他们在人际交往中更愿意宽恕他人,且该机制在心理弹性低的大学生中更为明显。

关键词: 父母自主支持, 人际宽恕, 感恩, 心理弹性

Xie Xiaochun, Tong Dandan. Parental Autonomy Support and Interpersonal Forgiveness: The Mediator Role of Gratitude and the Moderating Role of Resilience[J]. Journal of Psychological Science, 2024, 47(1): 105-112.

谢笑春, 童丹丹. 父母自主支持与人际宽恕：感恩的中介作用、心理弹性的调节作用^*[J]. 心理科学, 2024, 47(1): 105-112.

References

[1] 陈艳, 陈红, 吴慧芬, 李阳. (2019). 教师自主支持对农村留守儿童自主动机的影响: 心理弹性的中介作用和调节作用. 教育研究与实验, 4, 88-91.
[2] 范舒茗, 王逸欣, 焦璨. (2021). “老漂族”领悟社会支持对认知功能的影响: 有调节的中介模型. 中国临床心理学杂志, 29(1), 165-168.
[3] 傅宏. (2003). 宽恕心理学: 理论蕴涵与发展前瞻. 南京师大学报(社会科学版), 6, 92-97.
[4] 李若璇, 刘红瑞, 姚梅林. (2019). 父母和班主任自主支持对青少年幸福感和孤独感的影响: 个体为中心的视角. 心理科学, 42(4), 827-833.
[5] 苗灵童, 赵凯莉, 杨梦圆, 雷雪, 刘燊, 张林. (2018). 亲子依恋与初中生人际宽恕的关系: 一个有调节的中介模型. 心理发展与教育, 34(3), 264-272.
[6] 彭顺, 牛更枫, 汪夏, 张红坡, 胡祥恩. (2021). 父母自主支持对青少年积极情绪适应的影响: 基本心理需要满足的中介与调节作用模型. 心理发展与教育, 37(2), 240-248.
[7] 汤丹丹, 温忠麟. (2020). 共同方法偏差检验: 问题与建议. 心理科学, 43(1), 215-223.
[8] 萧舒谦, 林秀玲, 余晨瑋, 吴相仪. (2023). “心田宽恕量表”之中文化及信、效度验证. 教育心理学报, 54(3), 685-704.
[9] 周宵, 谭茹月, 伍新春, 原昊, 王文超. (2021). 青少年创伤后应激症状对反社会行为的影响: 述情障碍与复原力的作用. 心理科学, 44(5), 1148-1155.
[10] Achterhof R., Kirtley O. J., Schneider M., Lafit G., Hagemann N., Hermans K. S. F. M., & Myin-Germeys I. (2021). Daily-life social experiences as a potential mediator of the relationship between parenting and psychopathology in adolescence. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, Article 697127.
[11] Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. American Psychologist, 55(5), 469-480.
[12] Asici, E., & Sari, H. I. (2021). A proposed model to explain happiness in college students: The roles of perceived parenting styles, emotional self-efficacy, and forgiveness. Journal of Adult Development, 28(4), 332-345.
[13] Bronfenbrenner, U. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513-531.
[14] Christensen K. J., Padilla-Walker L. M., Busby D. M., Hardy S. A., & Day R. D. (2011). Relational and social-cognitive correlates of early adolescents' forgiveness of parents. Journal of Adolescence, 34(5), 903-913.
[15] Çolak, T. S., & Güngör, A. (2021). Examining the relationship between gratitude and rumination: The mediating role of forgiveness. Current Psychology, 40(12), 6155-6163.
[16] Dwiwardani C., Hill P. C., Bollinger R. A., Marks L. E., Steele J. R., Doolin H. N., & Davis D. E. (2014). Virtues develop from a secure base: Attachment and resilience as predictors of humility, gratitude, and forgiveness. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 42(1), 83-90.
[17] Dwiwardani C., Ord A. S., Fennell M., Eaves D., Ripley J. S., Perkins A., & van Tongeren, D. R. (2018). Spelling HUMBLE with U and ME: The role of perceived humility in intimate partner relationships. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 13(5), 449-459.
[18] Gao F., Li Y. W., & Bai X. J. (2022). Forgiveness and subjective well-being: A meta-analysis review. Personality and Individual Differences, 186, Article 111350.
[19] Hayes A. F.(2018). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. The Guilford Press.
[20] Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2022). Bullying and cyberbullying offending among US youth: The influence of six parenting dimensions. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31(5), 1454-1473.
[21] Hussong A. M., Coffman J. L., & Halberstadt A. G. (2021). Parenting and the development of children' s gratitude. Child Development Perspectives, 15(4), 235-241.
[22] Lasota A., Tomaszek K., & Bosacki S. (2020). Empathy, resilience, and gratitude - Does gender make a difference? Annals of Psychology, 36(3), 521-532.
[23] Lawler-Row K. A., Hyatt-Edwards L., Wuensch K. L., & Karremans J. C. (2011). Forgiveness and health: The role of attachment. Personal Relationships, 18(2), 170-183.
[24] Leong, L. T. J. (2009). Gratitude in an on-going dyadic relationship: The effects of feeling expressing gratitude on marital satisfaction among married couples (Unpublished doctorial dissertation). The Chinese University of Hong Kong, China.
[25] Li D. P., Li X., Wang Y. H., Zhao L. Y., Bao Z. Z., & Wen F. F. (2013). School connectedness and problematic internet use in adolescents: A moderated mediation model of deviant peer affiliation and self-control. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 41(8), 1231-1242.
[26] Lin, C. C. (2023). The influence of parenting on gratitude during emerging adulthood: The mediating effect of time perspective. Current Psychology, 42(1), 174-184.
[27] Liu J. T., Gong P. Y., Gao X. X., & Zhou X. L. (2017). The association between well-being and the COMT gene: Dispositional gratitude and forgiveness as mediators. Journal of Affective Disorders, 214, 115-121.
[28] Ma, Q. Q. (2021). The role of teacher autonomy support on students' academic engagement and resilience. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 778581.
[29] Măirean C., Turliuc M. N., & Arghire D. (2019). The relationship between trait gratitude and psychological wellbeing in university students: The mediating role of affective state and the moderating role of state gratitude. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(5), 1359-1377.
[30] Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227-238.
[31] McCullough M. E., Emmons R. A., & Tsang J. A. (2002). The grateful disposition: A conceptual and empirical topography. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 82(1), 112-127.
[32] Mooney L., Strelan P., & McKee I. (2016). How forgiveness promotes offender pro-relational intentions: The mediating role of offender gratitude. British Journal of Social Psychology, 55(1), 44-64.
[33] Quan S. X., Li M. J., Yang X. H., Song H. R., & Wang Z. H. (2022). Perceived parental emotional warmth and prosocial behaviors among emerging adults: Personal belief in a just world and gratitude as mediators. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 31(4), 1019-1029.
[34] Raftery, A. E. (1995). Bayesian model selection in social research. Sociological Methodology, 25, 111-163.
[35] Ryan R. M.,& Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-Determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. The Guilford Press.
[36] Shiraki, Y., & Igarashi, T. (2018). "Paying it forward" via satisfying a basic human need: The need for relatedness satisfaction mediates gratitude and prosocial behavior. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 21(1-2), 107-113.
[37] Tan S. A., Nainee S., & Tan C. S. (2021). The mediating role of reciprocal filial piety in the relationship between parental autonomy support and life satisfaction among adolescents in Malaysia. Current Psychology, 40(2), 804-812.
[38] Thompson L. Y., Snyder C. R., Hoffman L., Michael S. T., Rasmussen H. N., Billings L. S., & Roberts D. E. (2005). Dispositional forgiveness of self, others, and situations. Journal of Personality, 73(2), 313-360.
[39] Toussaint, L., & Friedman, P. (2009). Forgiveness, gratitude, and well-being: The mediating role of affect and beliefs. Journal of Happiness Studies, 10(6), 635-654.
[40] Ungar, M., & Hadfield, K. (2019). The differential impact of environment and resilience on youth outcomes. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 51(2), 135-146.
[41] van der Kaap-Deeder, J. (2021). The role of parents' autonomy support and psychological control in sibling relationship functioning through children's need-based experiences. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 39(4), 653-668.
[42] Vansteenkiste M., Ryan R. M., & Soenens B. (2020). Basic psychological need theory: Advancements, critical themes, and future directions. Motivation and Emotion, 44(1), 1-31.
[43] Wang L., Shi Z. B., Zhang Y. Q., & Zhang Z. (2010). Psychometric properties of the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale in Chinese earthquake victims. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 64(5), 499-504.
[44] Wang M. Y., He L. L., Fan Y. H., Guo W. X., Zhang R., Wang Q. H., & Gong P. Y. (2023). Parental care interacts with dopamine β-hydroxylase gene in trait of forgiveness with differential susceptibility effect. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(4), 547-556.
[45] Wang Q., Pomerantz E. M., & Chen H. C. (2007). The role of parents' control in early adolescents' psychological functioning: A longitudinal investigation in the United States and China. Child Development, 78(5), 1592-1610.
[46] Wu Q. L., Chi P. L., Lin X. Y., Du H. F., Zhou N., Cao H. J., & Liang Y. (2022). Gratitude and satisfaction in romantic relationships: Roles of decisional forgiveness and emotional forgiveness. Current Psychology, 41(5), 2668-2676.
[47] Ye Z., Yang X. Y., Zeng C. B., Wang Y. Y., Shen Z. J., Li X. M., & Lin D. H. (2020). Resilience, social support, and coping as mediators between COVID-19-related stressful experiences and acute stress disorder among college students in China. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 12(4), 1074-1094.
[48] Yu H. B., Contreras-Huerta L. S., Prosser A. M. B., Apps M. A. J., Hofmann W., Sinnott-Armstrong W., & Crockett M. J. (2022). Neural and cognitive signatures of guilt predict hypocritical blame. Psychological Science, 33(11), 1909-1927.