Longitudinal Links Between Mothers’ and Fathers’ Warm Parenting and Children’s Subjective Well-Being: The Roles of Children’s Prosocial Behavior and Peer Relationships

Abstract

Objective The aim of the present study was to explore the longitudinal links among mothers' and fathers' warm parenting, children's prosocial behavior, peer relationships, and their subjective well-being. Specifically, the research tested indirect relations between mothers' and fathers' warm parenting and children's subjective well-being via children's prosocial behavior and peer relationships. Methods The participants were 1,661 parents and their children (T1: M age = 7) from the Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC). Direct and indirect relations among the study variables were explored using path analysis. Results Mothers' warm parenting was directly related to children's subsequent subjective well-being, while fathers' warm parenting was not directly associated with children's subsequent subjective well-being. Fathers' warm parenting was linked to children's subsequent prosocial behavior, which in turn predicted the number of close friends, social adjustment with peers, and frequency of peer conflict. In turn, children's diverse types of peer relationships predicted their subjective well-being. Children's prosocial behavior was also positively related to their subsequent subjective well-being. Conclusion The present findings suggest children's prosocial behavior and peer relationships are intervening mechanisms that account for how fathers' warm parenting predicts their children's subsequent subjective well-being. This study also highlights the protective role of mothers' warm parenting in children's subjective well-being. Keywords: warm parenting, prosocial behavior, peer relationships, subjective well-being, children