Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-26-2026
Abstract
This study examines how coercive parental communication, specifically parental psychological control (PPC) and convergence communication (CC), and differentiation of self are associated with psychological well-being among undergraduate emerging adults. Results indicated a significant positive association between PPC and CC. Mediation analyses revealed that differentiation of self (DSI) mediated the relationship between CC and negative self-talk, such that greater convergence was associated with lower differentiation and, in turn, higher negative self-talk. However, CC did not mediate the relationship between PPC and DSI, suggesting that psychological control may be associated with differentiation through processes not fully captured by convergence communication. Moderation analyses demonstrated that DSI moderated the relationship between negative self-talk and suicidality, such that the positive association between negative self-talk and suicidality was weaker among individuals with higher differentiation. These findings highlight the cognitive/emotional risks associated with power-imbalanced family communication and the importance of supporting differentiation during emerging adulthood.
Recommended Citation
Alonso-Pecora, D., & Miller-Day, M. (2026). When psychological control erases the self: Examining convergence communication as parental control. Journal of Family Communication, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2026.2723999
Copyright
Taylor & Francis
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Included in
Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Commons, Other Psychology Commons, Social Psychology Commons
Comments
This is an Accepted Manuscript version of an article accepted for publication in:
Alonso-Pecora, D., & Miller-Day, M. (2026). When Psychological Control Erases the Self: Examining Convergence Communication as Parental Control. Journal of Family Communication, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15267431.2026.2723999
It is deposited under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.