The Relationship Between Harsh Parenting and Adolescents’ Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model

Background: Parents play a crucial role in cultivating adolescents' pro-environmental behavior, which has attracted researchers' attention. Nevertheless, the role of negative parenting styles has not been adequately concerned. Objectives: This research aimed to explore the influence of harsh parenting on adolescents' pro-environmental behavior based on the Ecological Systems Theory, considering intrinsic motivation as a possible mediator and three types of values (egoistic, altruistic, and biospheric values) as possible moderators. Participants and Setting: Data were collected at two stages through self-report questionnaires filled in by 602 adolescents (40.2% boys) in China with an average age of 16.25 years. Methods: The questionnaires assessed pro-environmental behavior, harsh parenting, intrinsic motivation, and values. Research hypotheses were tested by Model 4 and Model 14 of the SPSS PROCESS macro. Results: Results showed that harsh parenting was negatively associated with adolescents' pro-environmental behavior, which was mediated by intrinsic motivation. The interactions of three types of values and intrinsic motivation affected pro-environmental behavior differently. The relationship between intrinsic motivation and adolescents' pro-environmental behavior was negatively moderated by egoistic values, but positively moderated by altruistic and biospheric values. Conclusions: The results revealed that harsh parenting was negatively and significantly correlated with adolescents' pro-environmental behavior and such a relationship was mediated by intrinsic motivation and was moderated by values.