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Mediating effects of parent-child dysfunctional interactions in the relationship between parenting distress and

Ting Liu1, Ping Zhou2, Zhihong Zuo1

  • 1Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, China; China Research Institute of Care and Education of Infants and Young Children, East China Normal University, China.

Infant Behavior & Development
|November 22, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Parenting distress impacts toddlers' social-emotional skills, with parent-child interactions acting as a key mediator. Early center-based care is suggested for at-risk toddlers, especially those with poor parent-child interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Child Development
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Social-Emotional Learning

Background:

  • Parenting distress is linked to negative child social-emotional outcomes.
  • Parent-child interactions may mediate this relationship.
  • Understanding these dynamics is crucial for early intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between parenting distress and young children's social-emotional problems and competencies.
  • To examine if parent-child dysfunctional interactions mediate these associations.
  • To explore differences in these pathways between family and center-based care.

Main Methods:

  • Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used.
  • Participants included 711 Chinese toddlers (24-36 months).
  • Data were collected from toddlers in family and center-based care settings.

Main Results:

  • Parent-child dysfunctional interactions fully mediated the link between parenting distress and externalizing/dysregulation problems and social-emotional competencies.
  • Partial mediation was observed for internalizing problems.
  • Multi-group SEM revealed differing direct and indirect pathways between care groups.

Conclusions:

  • Parent-child interaction is a critical mediator between parenting distress and child social-emotional development.
  • Early center-based services are recommended for toddlers with family risk factors, particularly low parent-child interaction.
  • Intervention should focus on improving parent-child interactions to mitigate negative effects of parenting distress.

Keywords:
Center-based careCompetencyFamily careParenting distressParent–child interactionSocial–emotional problem

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