“Obviously, I decide!” or maybe not? Investigating behavioural autonomy in children: the case of a Dutch international school

Independence is often regarded as a developmental milestone in children (Erikson, 1968), with decision-making being a key aspect of this growth. While behavioural autonomy - defined as the ability to make independent decisions - has been extensively studied in adolescents, it has received less attention in middle childhood, particularly within a multi-cultural setting. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, quantifying vignettes and incorporating qualitative insights from interviews, to explore how factors such as age, gender, culture, and parenting styles shape behavioural autonomy in everyday decisions among children in a Dutch international school. The findings reveal that behavioural autonomy is highly decision-specific, with students reporting moderate levels of autonomy, leaning primarily towards collaborative decision-making, in both home and school settings. Qualitative insights bring light to parental influence as well as the need for parental involvement for the development of behavioural autonomy among children.