Research anchored in self-determination theory (SDT) has demonstrated the positive effects of parental need support on children’s ability to formulate a clear and integrated identity. However, much less is known about what motivates parents’ identity formation processes and how these processes are related to their parenting practices. Integrating SDT with identity formation theorizing, this study investigated mothers’ identity processing style as a possible mediator of the relationship between their own need-based experiences and their parenting practice. In total, 429 Israeli mothers of preschool children (age 3–6 years) participated in the study. Participants provided information about their experience of psychological need satisfaction and frustration, identity processing styles, identity commitment, and parenting practices. Results showed that mothers whose basic psychological needs were satisfied were more likely to provide autonomy support and structure in their interactions with their children. This relationship was mediated by mothers’ tendency to adopt a more informational identity processing style and higher identity commitment. In contrast, mothers’ experiences of need frustration were associated with psychologically controlling and chaotic practices through diffuse-avoidant identity processing style. A normative identity style mediated the association between mothers’ need frustration and their use of psychological control and structure. Our findings suggest that the satisfaction of mothers’ basic needs provides them the inner resources to explore existing identity options and facilitates greater self-organization and integrated identity development. In contrast, the frustration of mothers’ psychological needs has an energy-depleting effect on mothers.

以自我决定理论 (SDT) 为基础的研究表明，父母需要支持对儿童形成清晰和综合身份的能力具有积极影响。然而，关于是什么激发了父母的身份形成过程以及这些过程如何与他们的育儿实践相关，我们知之甚少。本研究将 SDT 与身份形成理论相结合，调查了母亲的身份处理方式，作为其自身基于需求的经历与育儿实践之间关系的可能中介。总共有 429 名以色列学龄前儿童（3-6 岁）的母亲参与了这项研究。参与者提供了有关他们在心理需求满足和挫折方面的体验、身份处理方式、身份承诺和育儿实践的信息。结果表明，基本心理需求得到满足的母亲更有可能在与孩子的互动中提供自主支持和结构。这种关系是由母亲倾向于采用更多信息的身份处理方式和更高的身份承诺来调节的。相比之下，母亲的需求挫折经历与通过扩散回避身份处理方式进行的心理控制和混乱实践有关。规范的身份风格介导了母亲的需要挫折与她们对心理控制和结构的使用之间的关联。我们的研究结果表明，母亲基本需求的满足为她们提供了探索现有身份选择的内在资源，并促进了更大的自我组织和综合身份发展。