Perceived parental psychological control and school learned helplessness: The role of frustration intolerance as a mediator factor

The present study aims to investigate the relation between perceived parental psychological control, school learned helplessness and mastery orientation, and also to test frustration intolerance as a mediator in the relation between perceived psychological control and school learned helplessness. The sample consisted of 214 (86 male and 128 female) high school students with an age range between 17- and 19- years ( M = 18.20; DS = 0.98). Results indicated that maternal psychological control positively predicts frustration intolerance, and that in turn, frustration intolerance positively predicts school learned helplessness. Furthermore, there was a significant indirect effect of frustration intolerance in the link between maternal psychological control and school learned helplessness, pointing to an important mediating role for frustration intolerance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.