Maternal Autonomy Support and Children’s Social Competencies, Academic Skills, and Persistence: Social Determinants and Mediation

Drawing on self-determination theory, family stress and the social determinants of health framework, current study sought to evaluate direct indirect relationships among socioeconomic status (maternal education income), parenting stress, autonomy supportive behavior, children’s positive outcomes (e.g., competences, academic skills, persistence) using a racially diverse sample from low-income backgrounds. Using data 2233 children collected at birth (T1), age 5 (T2) 9 (T3) as part Fragile Families Child Wellbeing study, structural equation model was tested in MPlus. Associations main constructs were single mediation effects subsequently evaluated bias-corrected bootstrap method. Autonomy directly positively associated with all three persistence). Maternal child’s related parenting, maternal income indirectly through mediating mechanism stress. also found mediate associations between persistence. Parenting intervention programs that focus teaching parents how avoid or manage be may benefit development. It is important, however, for policy makers, educators, practitioners who work recognize impact constraints behaviors choices.