A model of perceived parenting, authenticity, contingent self-worth and internalized aggression among college students

• Modeled the relation of parental psychological control to internalized aggression
• Parental psychological control was negatively related to authenticity.
• Authenticity was negatively related to contingent self-worth.
• Contingent self-worth was positively related to internalized aggression.

The present study builds upon previous findings by examining parental psychological control in relation to two distinct traits of the self (i.e., authenticity and contingent self-worth) and internalized aggression. A model was proposed with authenticity and contingent self-worth as serial mediators of the relationship between parental psychological control and internalized aggression. Structural equation modeling demonstrated near perfect fit of the model. Parental psychological control was inversely related to authenticity, lower authenticity was related to higher contingent self-worth, and contingent self-worth was positively related to internalized aggression. Results are discussed within the context of previous findings and directions for future research are proposed.