The relation between Chinese parents’ child-based worth and young children’s behavioral problems: a serial multiple mediator model

ABSTRACT

The present study examined associations between parents’ child-based worth, psychological control, parent–child relationship, and young children’s behavioral problems in terms of internalizing and externalizing problems. A sample of Chinese parents (N = 285) of children aged 30–83 (M = 57.52, SD = 13.47) months completed questionnaires to report their own parenting and their children’s behaviors. Parents’ child-based worth was related to children’s internalizing rather than externalizing problems. Parental psychological control and parent–child relationship mediated the association between parents’ child-based worth and children’s internalizing problems in a serial multiple mediator model. The study provided preliminary evidence showing the mechanism by which parents’ child-based worth influence young children’s behavioral outcomes. The results have practical implications for parenting in the Chinese context and beyond.

KEYWORDS:

• Child-based worth
• psychological control
• parent–child relationship
• internalizing and externalizing problems
• Chinese parenting

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the parents who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [grant number 2018NTSS04]; the National Social Science Fund of China: Construction of the Childcare Service System for Infants and Toddlers in Urban Areas under the Universal Two-Child Policy in China [grant number 17ZDA123].