Mothers’ Need Frustration and Controlling Parenting: The Moderating Role of Maternal Guilt

The current study examined maternal experience of guilt as a potential moderator of the association between mothers’ need frustration and their engagement in controlling parenting practices. Studies anchored in self-determination theory (SDT) suggested that parental need frustration may be considered as an antecedent of controlling parenting. Few studies, however, have attempted to unravel the specific social and psychological mechanisms that buffer the influence of parents’ psychological needs frustration on the use of controlling parenting. The current study integrated SDT parenting research with psychological theories on the destructive and constructive effects of guilt, to examine whether guilt could attenuate the strength of association between mothers’ need frustration and controlling parenting. Participants were 215 mothers of children aged 3–8 years, who completed self-report questionnaires on their need-based experiences, level of maternal guilt and parenting behavior. Maternal guilt was associated with more need frustration and controlling parenting. However, the level of guilt significantly moderated the association between need frustration and controlling parenting, so that the association was weaker for mothers with higher levels of guilt than for those with lower levels of guilt. Findings testify to the complex role of maternal guilt, both as an antecedent of controlling parenting and as a possible regulating mechanism that may reduce the potentially harmful effects of mothers’ need frustration on their parenting practices.