Relations of Maternal Power Assertion and Autonomy Support With Children's Adjustment in Korea

The present study examined how maternal power assertion and autonomy support were associated with children's social, school, and psychological adjustment in Korea. The participants were 631 Korean elementary school students (306 boys; mean age = 10.15 years) and their mothers. Maternal power assertion and autonomy support were assessed through mothers' reports. Data on children's adjustment were collected from multiple sources, including peer evaluations, teacher ratings, and children's self-reports. It was found that maternal power assertion was positively associated with children's social and school adjustment. Maternal autonomy support was positively associated with children's social and school adjustment and negatively associated with psychological problems. The results suggest that, in general, children may benefit from both maternal power assertion and autonomy support, which may serve similar as well as different functions in children's adjustment in specific domains. The results are discussed in terms of the context of contemporary Korea.