The Mediating Role of Self-Talk Between Parenting Styles and Emotional Intelligence: An Asian Perspective With Singaporean Adolescents

Abstract

This study sought to extend knowledge about trait emotional intelligence (EI) by examining its relationship with paternal and maternal parenting styles and positive and negative self-talk among Singaporean adolescents. Students in Grades 6 through 8 (262, 49.3% girls, mean age = 13.94) completed instruments measuring trait EI, perceived authoritative, authoritarian, and permissive parenting styles, and positive and negative self-talk. Both paternal and maternal authoritative parenting styles together with positive self-talk emerged as significant predictors of different components of trait EI, suggesting that fathers’ and mothers’ perceived parenting styles have unique relations with different facets of emotion expression, management, and regulation. Positive self-talk mediated the relationship between perceived authoritative parenting styles and trait EI. Negative self-talk suppressed the relation between maternal authoritarian parenting and self-management of emotions. The findings provided further insights to inform how parenting practices and demands can foster self-talk that would have important implications for children’s socioemotional development.