Date of Award
8-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Psychology
Committee Chair
Bonnie Nicholson
Committee Chair School
Psychology
Committee Member 2
Melanie Leuty
Committee Member 2 School
Psychology
Committee Member 3
Austen Anderson
Committee Member 3 School
Psychology
Committee Member 4
Kevin Wells
Committee Member 4 School
Education
Abstract
Research suggests that the transition to college can impact college student well-being across the domains of physical health, mental health, and social connectedness (Frech, 2012; Pittman & Richmond, 2008; Xiao et al., 2017). As parents are more heavily connected to their college-aged students when compared to years before cell phones and social media, they likely continue to play a significant role in their child’s well-being, even while they are in college (Wartman & Savage, 2008). Therefore, the aim of this dissertation was to investigate positive parenting behaviors as predictors of wellness in college-aged participants using Self Determination Theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) as a framework. We examined psychological needs satisfaction, which includes autonomy, relatedness and competence, as a mediator in the relationship between parenting and wellness. Participants were 377 undergraduate students from a public southeastern university. Participants were asked to report on their parents’ behaviors, as well as their own psychological needs satisfaction and wellness. Autonomy was found to mediate relationship between parenting and decreased emotional distress, competence was a significant mediator between parenting and flourishing, emotional wellbeing, and engagement in health behaviors. Relatedness significantly mediated the relationship between parenting and flourishing and social support. Additionally, positive parenting practices were predictive of students reporting more engagement in health behaviors, a greater sense of flourishing, less emotional distress, and more social connectedness. This research demonstrates the positive impact that parents can continue to make in their college-aged children, as well as the value of encouraging psychological needs satisfaction in emerging adulthood.
Copyright
Mary E. Lamkin, 2025
Recommended Citation
Lamkin, Mary E., "Parenting for Wellness: Positive Parenting Factors as Predictors of College Student Physical Health, Mental Health, and Social Connectedness Through the Lens of Self-Determination Theory" (2025). Dissertations. 2387.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/2387