Mediating perceived parenting styles–test anxiety relationships: Academic procrastination and maladaptive perfectionism

•Perceived authoritarian parenting–test anxiety positive associations were mediated.•Perceived authoritative parenting–test anxiety inverse associations were mediated.•Academic procrastination and maladaptive perfectionism were concurrent mediators.•Both affective and cognitive facets of test anxiety were investigated.•A social-cognitive conceptualization was used for study variables and findings.

We investigated perceived authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles in mothers and fathers, academic procrastination, maladaptive perfectionism, and both affective and cognitive test anxieties using self-reports of 206 undergraduates (women = 160; men = 46). Supporting study hypotheses, academic procrastination and maladaptive perfectionism concurrently mediated the positive relationship between perceived authoritarian fathering and both affective and cognitive test anxieties, but only maladaptive perfectionism mediated the positive relationship between perceived authoritarian mothering and both affective and cognitive test anxieties. Conversely, supporting study hypotheses, academic procrastination and maladaptive perfectionism concurrently mediated the inverse relationship between perceived authoritative parenting (in mothers and fathers separately) and both affective and cognitive test anxieties. Our study added to the literature by establishing academic procrastination and maladaptive perfectionism as concurrent mediators in the relationships between perceived parenting styles and test anxiety, except for perceived authoritarian mothering. These findings could improve academic success and retention efforts among vulnerable undergraduates.