ABSTRACT To understand the relationship between family support, peer acceptance, and emotional regulation strategies, this study surveyed 595 four to six years old children and their parents from Henan Province, central China, using the Family Support Questionnaire, Emotional Regulation Strategy Questionnaire, and Preschool Children Test. The results showed that (1) Family support, peer acceptance, and emotion regulation strategies were significantly correlated; (2) Family support could significantly positively predict children's peer acceptance; (3) Emotion regulation strategies play partial mediating roles between family support and children's peer acceptance. The findings highlight that it is crucial to consider the family's impact on children's peer interactions and emotional regulation strategies. It enhances family systems theory by clarifying the mechanisms linking family support to children’s peer acceptance. Additionally, it argues that parents should assist children in acquiring positive emotion regulation strategies while simultaneously enhancing the level of family support, thereby enhancing children’s peer acceptance.
Read full abstract