ABSTRACT
This study examined whether elementary children’s executive functions (EFs) moderated associations between observed autonomy-supportive and controlling parenting during math homework help and children’s math achievement and anxiety 1 year later. In total, 170 parent–child dyads completed a second-grade assessment (M
age = 8.02), and 111 returned in third grade (M
age = 9.18). Half of the children were girls (48%) and the sample was predominantly white (78%). Results indicated that autonomy-supportive parenting was associated with higher math achievement for all children (β = 0.264). Significant interactions emerged between controlling parenting and children’s EFs for their math achievement (β = 0.165) and math anxiety (β = 0.190). Children with high EFs were protected against the negative effects of controlling parenting for children’s math achievement. In contrast, children with low EFs demonstrated moderate math anxiety regardless of controlling parenting, whereas children with high EFs demonstrated a positive association between controlling parenting and increased math anxiety.