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The mediating role of reciprocal filial piety in the relationship between parental autonomy support and life satisfaction among adolescents in Malaysia

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Abstract

This study investigated how parental autonomy support influences adolescents’ life satisfaction through the mediation effect of reciprocal filial piety. A total of 589 school-going adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years were recruited using the cluster sampling method. The results showed that both paternal and maternal autonomy supports positively correlated with reciprocal filial piety as well as life satisfaction. There was also a positive relationship between reciprocal filial piety and life satisfaction. In addition, the data supported the hypothetical mediation model in which both paternal and maternal autonomy supports are associated with reciprocal filial piety; the gratitude toward parents in turn having a positive link with life satisfaction. The indirect effect of parental support on adolescents’ life satisfaction was found evident across gender and the three main ethnic groups in Malaysia. This study not only highlights the positive effects of parental autonomy support on adolescents’ filial beliefs and life satisfaction across cultures, but also sheds light on the mechanism of parental support in boosting adolescents’ life satisfaction.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman for funding this study under Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Research Fund [IPSR/RMC/UTARRF/2014-C2/T04]. We are also thankful Ministry of Education and Departments education of states as well as to the participants for their voluntary participation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Universiti, Bandar Barat, 31900, Kampar, Perak, Malaysia

    Soon-Aun Tan, Sarvarubini Nainee & Chee-Seng Tan

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  1. Soon-Aun Tan
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  2. Sarvarubini Nainee
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  3. Chee-Seng Tan
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Correspondence to Soon-Aun Tan.

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All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Scientific and Ethical Review Committee of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia.

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Parental and individual consents were obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Tan, SA., Nainee, S. & Tan, CS. The mediating role of reciprocal filial piety in the relationship between parental autonomy support and life satisfaction among adolescents in Malaysia. Curr Psychol 40, 804–812 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-018-0004-7

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