Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40176199›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2025

Parenting pathways to friendship: how Self-Control and emotion management skills mediate preschoolers' social lives in China?

Dexian Li, Wencan Li, Xin Lin, Xingchen Zhu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

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2citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Dexian LiSchool of Education, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China.
Wencan LiFaculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
Xin LinFaculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau, China. xinlin@um.edu.mo.
Xingchen ZhuCollege of Psychology, Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, China. michaelchenxs@163.com.

Funding

Humanities and Social Science Fund of Ministry of Education of China 23YJA880015
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundParenting styles have been identified as significant factors influencing children's social behaviors, particularly in their peer interactions. However, the specific mechanisms through which different parenting styles affect these behaviors, particularly among children aged 3-6, remain understudied.

objectiveApplying the theoretical frameworks of SLT and SRT, this study aimed to explore how authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles affect peer interactions in 3- and 6-year-old children, focusing on the mediating role of self-control and emotion management skills. METHODOLOGY: A survey was conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method, with 2,397 participants recruited from 16 kindergartens in 10 provinces and 7 regions across the country. The study employed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, structural equation modeling, and bootstrap method to examine the relationships between parenting styles, self-control, emotion management skills, and peer interactions.

resultsAuthoritarian parenting style is negatively and strongly correlated with children's peer interactions ( β = -0.57, p > 0.05); self-control fully mediated this relationship, accounting for 32.79%, and emotion management skills partially mediated 16.39%. Authoritative parenting had a direct effect on peer interactions ( β = 0.07, p < 0.05); self-control partially mediated 26.47% and emotion management skills 35.29% of the total effect; individual self-control (stable psychological traits) and emotion management skills (dynamic psychological processes) are important bridges through which family parenting practices influence the socialization process of children, and are also essential internal resources for achieving positive social adjustment.

conclusionsThis study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the differing effects of authoritarian and authoritative parenting styles on children's peer interactions, while highlighting the crucial roles of self-control and emotion management skills in these relationships. The findings offer practical implications for parents and educators in Chinese families, suggesting effective parenting strategies that promote positive social development among young children.

Indexed as

Child BehaviorEmotional RegulationFriendsParentingSelf-ControlSocial BehaviorAuthoritarianismChildChild, PreschoolChinaFemaleHumansMalePeer GroupAuthoritarian parenting styleAuthoritative parenting styleChain mediating effectsEmotion management skillsPeer interactionsSelf-control

Identifiers

PMID40176199
PMCPMC11967069

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.