Association of parenting style with emotional and behavioral problems in preschool children
10.16835/j.cnki.1000-9817.2025273
- VernacularTitle:父母教养方式与学龄前儿童情绪行为问题的关联
- Author:
LIANG Xi, LI Ruoyu, FANG Jiao, WANG Xiaoyan, WANG Yuhui
1
Author Information
1. Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Health Education;
Legal guardians;
Emotions;
Mental health;
Regression analysis;
Child,preschool
- From:
Chinese Journal of School Health
2025;46(9):1266-1271
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To explore the effects of parenting style on emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) of preschool children and to provide theoretical reference for promoting children s physical and mental health.
Methods:In October-November 2021, a stratified cluster random sampling method was adopted to select 3 575 preschool children aged 3-6 years from 12 kindergartens in Hefei. Data on parenting styles and children s EBPs were collected through electronic questionnaires. Binary Logistic regression model was used to explore the effects of parenting styles on children s EBPs.
Results:The detection rates of emotional symptoms, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer interaction problems, and prosocial behavior problems were 15.5% ( n =554), 23.2% ( n =830), 22.4% ( n =802), 38.2% ( n =1 367), and 29.5% ( n =1 055) in preschool children, respectively. Binary Logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for covariates such as child s age, sex, and preterm birth, a high authoritative parenting style reduced the risk of EBPs in children ( OR =0.29-0.78), while a high authoritarian ( OR =1.36-2.15) and high permissive ( OR =1.36-1.68) parenting style in mothers increased the risk of EBPs in children (all P <0.05). Further stratified analysis indicated that among children with fathers exhibiting high authoritative, high authoritarian, or high permissive parenting styles, a high authoritative parenting style in mothers reduced the risk of peer interaction problems and prosocial behavior problems ( OR =0.51, 0.30 ; 0.44, 0.23; 0.51, 0.29, all P <0.05). Among children with fathers exhibiting a high authoritative parenting style, a high authoritarian parenting style in mothers increased the risk of emotional problems ( OR =2.59), and both high authoritarian and high permissive parenting styles in mothers increased the risk of conduct problems ( OR =3.25, 2.09) and hyperactivity problems ( OR =2.35, 2.87) (all P <0.05). Among children with fathers exhibiting high authoritarian or high permissive parenting styles, a high authoritarian parenting style in mothers increased the risk of EBPs ( OR =1.65-2.71, 1.62-2.52, all P <0.05).
Conclusion:Parenting style is an important factor affecting EBPs of preschool children, and appropriate parenting style is beneficial for children s psychological development.
