Different ways to support and thwart autonomy : parenting profiles and adolescents’ career decision making

Grounded in self-determination theory, this study aimed to (1) identify profiles of parental autonomy support and control and (2) examine how these profiles predict indicators of adolescents’ career development (i.e., autonomy and competence in career exploration, and indecision). To this end, we used three annual waves of data covering the postsecondary transition: the last two years of secondary school (T1 and T2) and one year after graduation (T3). The sample included 637 French-Canadian adolescents (54% girls; Mage at T1 = 14). Latent profile analyses were conducted to identify parenting profiles at T1 and T2, which were then associated with the indicators of career development at T2 and T3, respectively, while controlling for their autoregressive effects and sociodemographic information. Four comparable profiles were identified at both waves (i.e., Autonomy Supported, Generally Controlled, Mixed, and Guilt Induced), with a fifth profile (i.e., High Expectations) emerging only at T2. As expected, Autonomy Supported adolescents reported the highest levels of autonomy and competence, and the lowest levels of indecision at both T2 and T3. The expected maladaptive nature of the Generally Controlled profile, however, was found only at T3, when this profile of adolescents became clearly differentiated from the autonomy supported profile on their career development outcomes. Regardless of the saliency of one specific controlling strategy, parental control hampered adolescents’ career development, undermining autonomy and competence in career decision making. These findings reiterate the benefits of autonomy support and the costs of parental control in adolescents’ career development particularly in the long run