Grounded in Self-Determination Theory, this study examines the potential mediating role of needs fulfillment between the work-family conflict (WFC-FWC) and the use of psychological control with children and collegues. Self-determination theory views psychological control as dysfunctional interpersonal behaviour determined by stressors and thus associated with a frustration of needs. A sample of 380 Italian dual-earner couples fill-in questionnaires through which it was possible to highlight a partial mediating role of the needs fulfillment, suggesting that conflicts between work and family demands may undermine needs thereby increasing the likelihood of controlling behaviors. These findings underscore the importance of addressing both partners' experiences in dual-career families and highlight psychological needs as a potential target for interventions aimed at reducing the negative spillover of work stress into parenting and viceversa.
Gugliandolo et al. (2026) studied this question.