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Review Paper | Psychology | Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026 | Pages: 2387 - 2391 | India
Parental Autonomy Support, Psychological Control, and Adolescent Career Indecision: An Integrated Conceptual Framework for the Indian Sociocultural Context
Abstract: Adolescents in India must make high?stakes educational and career choices within a sociocultural context marked by strong family involvement, competitive examinations, and high prestige attached to certain professions. While parents are acknowledged as central influences in adolescent career development, existing research often treats parental involvement as a broad, global construct and rarely distinguishes between autonomy?supportive and psychologically controlling forms of parenting in career?specific situations. This conceptual paper addresses that gap by developing an integrative framework that explains how parental autonomy support and parental psychological control shape adolescents? motivation, career decision?making self?efficacy, and problematic career indecision in the Indian context. Drawing on Self?Determination Theory, Social Cognitive Career Theory, and developmental systems perspectives, the paper argues that autonomy?supportive parenting facilitates basic psychological need satisfaction, autonomous motivation, and stronger self?efficacy, which in turn reduce chronic, distressing forms of career indecision and enhance decision quality. In contrast, psychologically controlling parenting frustrates autonomy needs, promotes controlled motivation, undermines self?efficacy, and increases the likelihood of persistent indecision in high?pressure career decisions. The proposed framework offers culturally sensitive propositions to guide future empirical research and provides implications for parents, educators, career counsellors, and mental health professionals supporting Indian adolescents during career choice.
Keywords: Adolescence, parental autonomy support, psychological control, career indecision, self?efficacy, autonomous motivation, India, conceptual framework
How to Cite?: Sangeeta Rao, Kavya Vijayan, "Parental Autonomy Support, Psychological Control, and Adolescent Career Indecision: An Integrated Conceptual Framework for the Indian Sociocultural Context", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 2387-2391, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26729130832, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26729130832