Future Time Perspective and Self-Control Mediate the Links between Parental Autonomy Support and Adolescents’ Digital Citizenship Behavior

Abstract

While there has been growing evidence that autonomy-supportive parenting is associated with the ability of Western adolescents to thrive, it is less clear this relationship exists in other cultural contexts. This study primarily explored the relationship between parental autonomy support (PAS) and Chinese adolescents’ digital citizenship behavior (DCB), as well as the mediating role of future time perspective (FTP) and self-control (SC). Using cluster sampling, 549 high school students in North China were recruited and asked to complete a structured paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The results showed that PAS positively predicted adolescents’ participation in DCB, adolescents’ FTP and SC played a significant mediating role in the relationship between PAS and DCB separately and sequentially. These results indicated that PAS can increase adolescents’ FTP and, improve their SC abilities, and encourage their participation in DCB.