Parental Emotional Warmth Research Articles

A comparative study on parental rearing styles and competitive attitudes among college students from different family income backgrounds

ObjectiveTo explore the differences in parental rearing styles and competitive attitudes between college students from low-income and non-low-income families. The goal is to provide insights into their holistic development and psychological adaptation in diverse competitive environments.MethodsA total of 1,000 college students were surveyed using a general information questionnaire, the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran questionnaire, and the Competitive Attitude Scale. Among them, 188 were identified as low-income students and 750 as non-low-income students.Results(1) Significant differences were observed between low-income and non-low-income students in parental emotional warmth and understanding, paternal denial and rejection, maternal favoritism, and malignant competitive attitude (p < 0.05). (2) Parental emotional warmth and understanding were positively correlated with benign competitive attitude (p < 0.01). (3) Parental rejection, denial, favoritism, and overprotection were negatively correlated with malignant competitive attitude (p < 0.05). (4) Paternal punishment and strictness were positively correlated with malignant competitive attitude (p < 0.01).ConclusionPositive parental rearing styles enhance the subjective well-being of low-income students and foster benign competitive attitudes, whereas negative parental rearing styles reduce well-being and promote excessive competitive tendencies.

The relationship between parental emotional warmth and school bullying: The chain mediation role of social support and emotional regulation.

This study explores the complex interplay between parental emotional warmth, social support, emotional regulation, and school bullying among students. Using a chain mediation model, we investigate how parental emotional warmth indirectly influences school bullying through the mediating roles of social support and emotional regulation. A sample of 566 students aged 10-13 participated in this study. The results indicate that parental emotional warmth significantly enhances social support, which in turn positively influences emotional regulation, thereby reducing school bullying behaviors. However, the direct effect of parental emotional warmth on school bullying was not significant. These findings highlight the importance of social support and emotional regulation as mechanisms through which parental emotional warmth affects school bullying. The study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the impact of family dynamics on children's behavior and provides practical insights for developing multi-faceted interventions to prevent and reduce school bullying. Future research should employ longitudinal designs and diverse populations to further validate these findings and explore cultural variations.

Unveiling the psychological dimensions of myopia progression: Anxiety and perceived parental rearing styles in children and adolescents.

Unveiling the psychological dimensions of myopia progression: Anxiety and perceived parental rearing styles in children and adolescents.

Parenting styles and school bullying among Chinese adolescents: the mediating effects of social support and cognitive reappraisal

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the relationship between parental emotional warmth and overprotective parenting styles in relation to children’s experiences of school bullying, focusing on the chain mediating roles of social support and cognitive reappraisal. The study emphasizes the theoretical contribution of integrating these mechanisms, particularly within the Chinese cultural context, to advance understanding of bullying prevention strategies.MethodologyA survey-based design was employed with a sample of 566 primary school students aged 10 to 13. Validated scales were used to measure parental emotional warmth, overprotective parenting, social support, cognitive reappraisal, and school bullying. Pearson correlation and path analysis were conducted to explore the direct and indirect effects of parenting styles on bullying victimization, with particular attention to the chain mediation model involving social support and cognitive reappraisal.FindingsResults indicate that parental emotional warmth significantly enhances children’s social support and cognitive reappraisal abilities, which in turn reduces the likelihood of experiencing school bullying. In contrast, overprotective parenting negatively affects these mediators, increasing the risk of bullying victimization. Further analysis revealed that social support and cognitive reappraisal jointly mediate the relationship between parenting styles and school bullying, highlighting a chain-mediating mechanism. These findings provide new insights into how family dynamics influence bullying outcomes, particularly within the Chinese cultural context.ImplicationsThis study provides valuable insights for family education programs and school-based anti-bullying interventions, emphasizing the importance of promoting supportive and autonomy-enhancing parenting practices. By fostering social support networks and encouraging positive emotion regulation strategies, stakeholders—including educators, parents, and policymakers—can work collaboratively to mitigate school bullying and strengthen children’s resilience. This research highlights the need for culturally specific approaches in addressing school bullying and enhancing adolescent development in China.

Association between parents’ value of children and adolescent depression in China: a multi-informant study

BackgroundParents’ value of children (VOC) is a related implicit belief toward their children that may predict adolescents’ mental health. However, empirical studies are scarce about this relationship. This study investigates the relationship between parents’ VOC and adolescent depression, as well as the underlying mechanisms.MethodsWe conducted a multi-informant survey and developed a latent moderated mediation structural equation model of adolescent depression outcome of parents’ VOC. A total of 963 Chinese adolescents and their parents were recruited and examined. The parents completed the parents’ VOC scale and the adolescents responded to the scales of emotional warmth and rejection, external locus of control (LOC), and depression.ResultsParents’ social and psychological VOC exerted a positive and negative direct effect respectively, on adolescent depression. Parents’ social VOC positively predicts adolescent depression through parental emotional warmth, rejection, and external LOC. Parents’ psychological VOC negatively predicts adolescent depression through emotional warmth and rejection. The indirect effects of parents’ social VOC on adolescent depression through emotional warmth and rejection were moderated by sex.ConclusionsThe two aspects of parents’ VOC exerted indirect effects on adolescent depression through emotional warmth and rejection or external LOC. The indirect effects of parents’ social VOC on adolescent depression were more evident among women than men. Our study extends the theoretical research framework of parents’ VOC to adolescent mental health.

Parenting behaviors and deviant peer affiliation among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of psychological reactance and the moderating role of gender

Given the negative impact of deviant peer affiliation on adolescent behavioral development, understanding its underlying mechanisms is essential. Drawing on social development model, psychological reactance theory and adolescent-limited delinquency theory, this study examined the relationship between parenting behaviors and adolescents’ deviant peer affiliation, as well as the mediating role of reactance and the moderating role of gender. The research involved 1,822 high school students (Mage = 15.28 years, SDage = 2.40) from two provinces in China. All students completed a face-to-face questionnaire administered in a computer room at their respective school. This study found that parental emotional warmth was negatively correlated with adolescent deviant peer affiliation. On the contrary, parental rejection and overprotection were positively correlated with adolescent deviant peer affiliation. Furthermore, the findings indicated that reactance significantly mediated the relationship between parental emotional warmth, rejection, overprotection, and deviant peer affiliation, with reactance fully mediating the relationship between parental overprotection and deviant peer affiliation. Finally, the gender of the adolescent was found to significantly moderate the relationship between parental rejection (β = -0.10, p =.04), emotional warmth (β = 0.16, p =.003) and deviant peer affiliation, although no moderation was observed regarding parental overprotection. These results suggest that various parenting behaviors employ complex mechanisms to influence adolescents’ deviant peer affiliation, with reactance and gender differences playing pivotal roles. This study offers new insights into the mechanisms underlying adolescent deviant peer affiliation and underscores the importance of reducing deviant peer affiliation through interventions targeting reactance and parenting behaviors.

Subjective well-being and parenting in adolescence: Do peers matter when things are not so good?

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the association between adolescents’ subjective well-being and parenting, as well as the moderating role of peer relationships between the negative aspects of parenting and subjective well-being. Method: Adolescents (n = 331) attending Junior High School and High School (aged 12-18 years) in the broader area of Attica, Greece, participated in the study. Participants completed the Berne Questionnaire of Subjective Well-Being/Youth Form, the 40-item Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran Child Version (EMBU-C) questionnaire (for ages 7–16 years), and the Friendship Quality Scale. Results: There was a positive association between parental emotional warmth and adolescents’ satisfaction, as well as between parental rejection and adolescents’ ill-being. Furthermore, closeness to friends moderated the association between adolescents’ ill-being and rejection by mothers and fathers. Girls and older adolescents had higher scores in the negative factors of subjective well-being, while girls scored higher in all friendship factors. Finally, based on adolescents’ perceptions, mothers had significantly higher scores than fathers in all parenting variables. Conclusions: Findings highlight the significance of the implementation of tailored interventions in schools and families for promoting adolescents’ well-being.

Parenting Style and Smartphone Addiction in Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Shyness and Loneliness

Mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles may be important predictors of smartphone addiction. However, some uncertainty still exists about the relationship between these two variables, and few studies to date have investigated the mediating role of both shyness and loneliness in this relationship from the perspective of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting styles. To fill these gaps, a total of 1,628 adolescents completed self-report measures of parenting style, shyness, loneliness, and smartphone addiction. The results revealed that parental emotional warmth was negatively correlated with smartphone addiction, whereas parental rejection and over-protection were positively correlated with smartphone addiction. Furthermore, the association between over-protection and shyness was more pronounced for mothers than for fathers. Additionally, shyness and loneliness acted as chain mediators in the relationship between the two parenting styles—emotional warmth and over-protection—and smartphone addiction. These findings underscore the critical roles of shyness and loneliness in mediating the relationship between parenting styles and adolescent smartphone addiction. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms behind the relationship between parenting styles and adolescent smartphone addiction.

How parenting style impacts adolescents’ nomophobia: Basic psychological needs satisfaction and loneliness as mediators

Although previous research has found a close relationship between parenting style and problematic cell phone use among adolescents, the specific link between parenting style and nomophobia has been little explored. In this study we used a cross-sectional design to examine this relationship, focusing on the mediators of adolescents’ basic psychological needs satisfaction and loneliness. Analysis of data obtained in a survey completed by 573 Chinese adolescents revealed a negative relationship between parental emotional warmth and adolescents’ nomophobia, and a positive relationship between both parental rejection and overprotection and nomophobia. Satisfaction of adolescents’ basic psychological needs and loneliness mediated the relationship between parenting style and nomophobia, both individually and sequentially. These findings enhance understanding of the mechanisms linking parenting styles and adolescents’ nomophobia, contributing to the development of intervention programs aimed at reducing symptoms of nomophobia among adolescents.

Different parental rearing behaviors and depressive symptoms of adolescents: Roles of psychological insecurity and core self-evaluations

Depression is the second most common mental disorder among adolescents worldwide. From the perspectives of emotional security theory and interpersonal acceptance–rejection theory, parental rearing behaviors impact adolescents’ depressive symptoms. The current study aims to uncover the underlying relationship mechanisms between different parental rearing behaviors and depressive symptoms. A sample of 372 junior high school students participated in this study. The results indicated that parental rejection and overprotection were associated with psychological insecurity and depressive symptoms, and parental emotional warmth was positively related to core self-evaluations. Paternal rejection had a more substantial impact on the lower distribution of depressive symptoms scores in the 25th percentile, while maternal rejection was significantly related to depressive symptoms in the 50th and 75th percentiles. Adolescents’ depressive symptoms were reduced when they had more paternal and maternal emotional warmth. Indirect effects of parenting behavior on depressive symptoms through core self-evaluations and psychological insecurity were found. Adolescents with higher levels of parental emotional warmth reported lower levels of psychological insecurity, which was related to higher levels of core self-evaluations; moreover, core self-evaluations were negatively related to depressive symptoms.

Parental emotional warmth, self-control and adolescent prosocial behavior: The moderating role of multilocus genetic and parental gender differences

Parental emotional warmth, self-control and adolescent prosocial behavior: The moderating role of multilocus genetic and parental gender differences

Correlation between self-efficacy, parental parenting patterns, and severe depression in adolescents

BACKGROUNDAdolescence is a critical period marked by significant psychological changes. This study explores how self-efficacy and parental parenting styles may influence the risk of severe depression among teens. The hypothesis is that higher self-efficacy and authoritative parenting patterns will be negatively correlated with severe depression in adolescents.AIMTo investigate the correlation between self-efficacy, parenting patterns and major depression in adolescents, and to provide guidance for mental intervention.METHODSUsing a cross-sectional survey design, the data were collected through a questionnaire survey. Patients with major depression and healthy adolescents in the hospital control group were selected as the study objects. The General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Parenting Style Evaluation Scale, and the Beck Depression Inventory were used as research instruments. Data input and statistical analysis were performed, including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, through SPSS software.RESULTSThe study found that depressed patients had significantly lower self-efficacy than healthy controls, and parenting style was significantly associated with depressive symptoms in terms of emotional warmth and understanding, punishment severity, and denial. Specifically, parental emotional warmth and understanding were significantly negatively associated with depressive symptoms, while parental punishment severity and denial were significantly positively associated with depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy showed a significant negative correlation with depressive symptoms, indicating that higher self-efficacy had lower depressive symptoms.CONCLUSIONAdolescent major depressive disorder patient was significantly associated with their parenting style and self-efficacy. Higher self-efficacy is associated with decreased depressive symptoms, so improving adolescent self-efficacy and improving parenting style are important.

Perceived parental warmth, emotional stability, and academic burnout of adolescents: a longitudinal mediation study

This longitudinal study explored whether there are differences between the associations of perceived paternal and maternal emotional warmth to Chinese adolescents’ academic burnout. It also investigated whether emotional stability mediates the potential association of perceived parental emotional warmth and academic burnout. Four scales were used to measure perceived paternal and maternal emotional warmth and emotional stabilities. Participants were 404 adolescents (46.8% males, M age=13.36 years, SD = 1.50 years) who were monitored for approximately 1 year. The results indicated that there is no statistically significant link between perceived parental emotional warmth and students’ academic burnout. However, emotional stability was found to mediate the link between perceived maternal (but not paternal) emotional warmth and academic burnout. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the role of emotional stability in the association between perceived maternal emotional warmth and academic burnout.

Relationship between Perceived Parenting Styles and Personal Growth Initiative among Adolescents

The current study investigates the relationship between perceived parenting styles and adolescent’s personal growth initiative. Data was collected from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Participant’s age range was from 12 to 18 with both male (n = 116) and female (n = 184). Short Form of Egna Minnen Betriafenda Upfostron (EMBU) Urdu- version (Mazhar, 2020) and Personal Growth Initiative Scale - II (PGI- II) Urdu- version translated by Sadia Zaman (2018) were used for assessment. Perceived parental warmth exhibited significant positive correlated with personal growth initiative. Perceived parental rejection showed negative correlated with personal growth initiative. Personal growth initiative is not a gender based. The joint family system facilitated the utilization of resources for adolescents' growth. Adolescents from government institutions perceived more parental rejection and over- protection. Middle born participants perceived more parental rejection. Last born perceived parental emotional warmth and more opportunities to utilize resources. Education was positively correlated with parental emotional warmth and negatively correlated with parental over- protection. Age was negatively correlated with the perception of parental rejection and over- protection.

How does parental rearing patterns of children in upper primary school impact social withdrawal? A mediating effect of emotional regulation.

The present study endeavors to elucidate the impact of emotional regulation and parental rearing patterns on the social development of children in the upper grades of primary school. A burgeoning body of literature suggests that these factors significantly influence children's social adaptation and emotional well-being, yet a comprehensive examination of these relationships is warranted. Employing a cross-sectional design, this investigation utilized the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran (EMBU), Emotional Regulation Questionnaire for Children (ERQC), and Child Behavioural Issues Scale (CBCL) to assess a sample of 276 pupils across grades 4-6. The selection of these instruments allowed for a multifaceted evaluation of the constructs of interest. A pronounced disparity in parental rearing practices, emotional regulation capabilities, and levels of social withdrawal was observed among the different grades, with grade 5 exhibiting the most pronounced effects. Parental emotional warmth demonstrated a significant positive correlation with children's emotional regulation abilities, while punitive, rejecting, and preferential behaviors were inversely correlated. The study established that parental rearing practices indirectly influence social withdrawal through the mediating role of children's emotional regulation, underscoring the complexity of this relationship. The results underscore the salient role of parental rearing and emotional regulation in the social development of children. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms through which parenting styles and emotional competencies interplay to affect social withdrawal. Implications for educational practices and future research directions are discussed.

Parental emotional warmth and non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The mediating effect of bullying involvement and moderating effect of the dark triad

Parental emotional warmth and non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The mediating effect of bullying involvement and moderating effect of the dark triad

Parental emotional warmth and adolescent internet altruism behavior: a moderated mediation model

As a double-edged sword, the Internet is prone to breed cyber violence and bullying on the one hand, on the other hand, it can promote the expansion of altruistic behavior in cyberspace. Exploring the mechanism of generating Internet altruistic behaviors can help improve adolescents’ adaptive development and build a harmonious online environment. In light of this, this study constructed a hypothetical model of parental emotional warmth and adolescents’ Internet altruistic behaviors with gratitude trait as the mediating variable and belief in a just world as the moderating variable, in order to investigate how personal experiences, personality, and social cognition affect the practice of Internet altruistic behavior. A total of 1004 adolescents from two middle schools in China were selected for the survey. The results showed that parental emotional warmth significantly and positively affects adolescents’ Internet altruistic behaviors, while gratitude mediated this path between the two, with the mediating effect accounting for 27.07% and 24.27% of the total effect in the model of paternal and maternal emotional warmth, respectively. Moreover, in the paternal emotional warmth model, this indirect effect was moderated by belief in a just world, and the indirect effect was stronger for adolescents with lower beliefs in a just world relative to those with higher beliefs. Relative to paternal emotional warmth, belief in a just world was not significant in moderating the indirect effects of maternal emotional warmth on Internet altruistic behavior through gratitude. This research aims to provide more empirical research on the mechanisms of adolescents’ Internet altruistic behaviors and to provide more insights into the promotion of responsible and appropriate Internet use among adolescents.

Effect of parental rearing styles on adolescent ego identity: the mediating role of involutionary attitudes.

Previous studies have found that negative parental rearing styles can negatively predict the acquisition of ego identity, while it has not been discussed whether the overcompetitive attitudes, a stable personality, will further hinder their ego identity development under the model of educational involutionary. The study used the Overcompetitive Attitude Scale, the Brief Parental Rearing Styles Questionnaire, and the Ego Identity Status Scale to investigate 550 young students in a school in Suzhou in order to explore the influence of parental rearing styles on adolescents' ego identity development and the role of involutional attitudes. The results showed that: (1) Adolescents' overcompetitive attitude was positively predicted by parental rejection and overprotection, while it was negatively predicted by parental emotional warmth. (2) Parental emotional warmth significantly predicted adolescents' ego identity status more favorably than parental rejection, overprotection, and overcompetitive attitude. (3) Overcompetitive attitude plays a partial intermediary role between parental rearing style and ego identity.

Parenting links to parent-child interbrain synchrony: a real-time fNIRS hyperscanning study.

Parent-child interaction is crucial for children's cognitive and affective development. While bio-synchrony models propose that parenting influences interbrain synchrony during interpersonal interaction, the brain-to-brain mechanisms underlying real-time parent-child interactions remain largely understudied. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, we investigated interbrain synchrony in 88 parent-child dyads (Mage children = 8.07, 42.0% girls) during a collaborative task (the Etch-a-Sketch, a joint drawing task). Our findings revealed increased interbrain synchrony in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and temporo-parietal areas during interactive, collaborative sessions compared to non-interactive, resting sessions. Linear regression analysis demonstrated that interbrain synchrony in the left temporoparietal junction was associated with enhanced dyadic collaboration, shared positive affect, parental autonomy support, and parental emotional warmth. These associations remained significant after controlling for demographic variables including child age, child gender, and parent gender. Additionally, differences between fathers and mothers were observed. These results highlight the significant association between brain-to-brain synchrony in parent-child dyads, the quality of the parent-child relationship, and supportive parenting behaviors. Interbrain synchrony may serve as a neurobiological marker of real-time parent-child interaction, potentially underscoring the pivotal role of supportive parenting in shaping these interbrain synchrony mechanisms.

Parental Emotional Warmth and School Adjustment in Higher Vocational Students: The Chain Mediating Role of Positive Coping Styles and Psychological Endurance

This paper aims to explore the relationship between parental emotional warmth and school adjustment of higher vocational students, as well as the chain-mediated roles of positive coping styles and psychological endurance. The study used the short-Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran Scale of Chinese Version(s-EMBU-C), the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), the Psychological Endurance Scale, and the Brief College Student School Adjustment Scale to investigate 604 higher vocational students. The results showed that parental emotional warmth was significantly and positively correlated with school adjustment, positive coping styles, and psychological endurance (r=0.43,0.57,0.60,P<0.01); positive coping styles were significantly and positively correlated with psychological endurance and school adjustment (r=0.56, 0.51, P<0.01); and there was a significant and positive correlation between psychological endurance and school adjustment (r= 0.52,P<0.01); the mediation effect test shows that both positive coping style and psychological endurance play separate mediating roles between parental emotional warmth and school adjustment, with mediating effect values of 0.45 and 0.29 respectively, and also play chain mediating roles, with mediating effect value of 0.13. Finally, this paper concludes that parental emotional warmth not only affects school adjustment of higher vocational students directly but also indirectly affects school adjustment through the separate mediating role and chain mediating role of positive coping style and psychological endurance.