Patterns of home leaving and subjective well-being in emerging adulthood: the role of motivational processes and parental autonomy support.
In Western, postindustrial societies, the timing of home leaving is increasingly delayed. The diversity of home-leaving patterns, resulting from this evolution, has not yet been systematically studied from a psychological perspective. In this study, the authors aimed to examine how emerging adults' living arrangements-and the motives underlying those arrangements, as conceptualized in self-determination theory-relate to subjective well-being. A Belgian sample of 224 emerging adults and their parents completed self-report questionnaires. Analyses that used structural equation modeling showed that autonomous motivation for one's living arrangement is more strongly related to emerging adults' well-being than the living arrangement per se. Further, autonomy-supportive parenting was found to relate positively to an autonomously regulated residential status. Implications for the meaning and development of autonomy during emerging adulthood are discussed.
Kins
Evie
E
Department of Developmental, Personality, and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent B-9000, Belgium. Evie.Kins@UGent.be
Beyers
Wim
W
Soenens
Bart
B
Vansteenkiste
Maarten
M
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D001530:Belgium; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult