Parental psychological control and subjective well-being in school among Malaysian adolescents: Social competence as a mediator

Tan, Bernicia Gilbert Ze San and Kho, Daphne Wei Qian and Teh, Chai Horng (2025) Parental psychological control and subjective well-being in school among Malaysian adolescents: Social competence as a mediator. Final Year Project, UTAR.

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Abstract

Adolescence represents a critical developmental phase in which parenting practices and social functioning significantly influence overall well-being. Parental psychological control (PPC) is frequently associated with adverse outcomes; however, its impact may differ based on cultural context and the social resources available to adolescents. Hence, this study investigated the mediating role of social competence (SC) in the relationship between PPC and adolescents' subjective well-being in school (SWBS) in Malaysia. A quantitative, correlational, and longitudinal design was employed, with self-administered questionnaires administered in two phases. Multistage cluster random sampling produced a final sample of 277 Malaysian secondary school students (M = 14.84 years, SD = .74; 46.2% males, 53.8% females) from five states in Malaysia. Instruments included the Parental Psychological Control Scale-Youth Self-Report, the Perceived Social Competence Scale, and the Brief Adolescents' Subjective Well-Being in School Scale. Results indicated that PPC did not directly predict SWBS but was positively associated with SC, which in turn positively predicted SWBS. Mediation analysis confirmed that SC fully mediated the PPC and SWBS relationship, suggesting that PPC influenced adolescents' SWBS only indirectly through its effect on SC. These findings contribute to the growing literature by extending the understanding of PPC and adolescents’ SWBS in the Malaysian cultural context. Practical implications include integrating social-emotional learning programs in schools, guiding parents toward less controlling strategies, and fostering family-school partnerships to enhance adolescents' well-being in the Malaysian context.

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