Parental Approval of Children’s Independent Mobility in Contemporary Russian Families

Abstract

The paper examines the d velopment of children’s autonomy through the example of independent mobility from the child’s perspective. Drawing on 30 semi-structured biographical interviews with informants aged 11 to 24 years, comprising 15 males and 15 females from 15 cities in Russia, the study investigates narratives about independent mobility and parent-child relationships in the context of autonomy formation. Grounded in self-determination theory and notions of parental control and autonomy support, two key perspectives on autonomy are explored: independent behavior performed without assistance from others, and volitional functioning conditioned by personal values. The child’s independent mobility emerges as a significant theme in parent-child relationships; however, parental approval of this mobility often differs from parental behavior in other aspects of children’s autonomy development. The paper demonstrates that the history of a child’s independent mobility is largely unique and serves as a source of adolescent autonomy experiences, wherein parents establish a system of rules (structure) governing mobility and delegate decision-making within these rules to the child. This complements or even contrasts with other relational contexts. The study concludes by discussing the limitations and prospects of the research.