Self-regulation is essential for well-being, as it affects mental health and personal growth. This PhD dissertation of Yugyun Kim explores how family influences shape a person’s ability to manage their thoughts, emotions, and actions (self-regulation) from childhood to adulthood. The dissertation examines aspects of the family environment, such as parenting and family functioning, on the development of self-regulation. It begins with an exploration of how family relationships and mental health interact over time, particularly in adolescence and early adulthood, highlighting that self-control and mental health problems may influence each other.
Another part of the dissertation examines how early life stress affects self-regulation and the body’s stress responses. It finds that the timing of childhood hardships matters, influencing stress levels and self-control later in life. It is also explored how fathers' parenting styles influence self-regulation in the Netherlands and South Korea. Warm and supportive parenting is beneficial in both countries, while parental control may have different effects depending on cultural background. Additionally, the role of parental (over)protection is examined in the connection between mothers’ and fathers’ self-regulation and their children's self-regulation.
The dissertation discusses several key themes for future research, including the importance of null results, developmental timing, cultural factors, and measurement approaches to consider while studying the mechanisms involved in the development of self-regulation.
