Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm
Published on: May 4, 2020
Mediating Role of Cognitive Flexibilities in the Relationship between Parenting Styles and Self-Esteem among Children
1Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abstract:
Objective: The growing acknowledgment of self-esteem as an essential element of psychological well-being has highlighted the influence of parenting styles on the self-esteem of children as a significant concern in developmental psychology. This study enhances prior research on the association between self-esteem and parenting styles by investigating the mediating effect of cognitive flexibility. Method : This research is a quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational study carried out in 2024 involving children between the ages of 6 and 12 in Beijing, China. Parents who volunteered participated by filling out self-report surveys, such as the short version of the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI). These surveys were distributed via a Sojump link shared on social media. For the statistical analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and path analysis were employed. Results: A total of 150 children took part in this survey. The correlation analysis revealed that there were positive associations between the authoritative parenting style and the cognitive flexibility scale among children (r = 0.325, P < 0.01) and cognitive flexibility and self-esteem (r = 0.448, P < 0.01). There was also a significant negative correlation between authoritative parenting and authoritarian parenting (r = -0.402, P < 0.01). Moreover, results support the mediational hypothesis. However, the authoritative parenting style is no longer a significant contributor to self-esteem among children after controlling for cognitive flexibility as the mediator, β = 0.11, SE = 0.10, t = 1.06, P = 0.2897, 95% CI [-0.0941, 0.3131], suggesting a full mediation. This result indicated that the indirect coefficient was significant β = 0.1919, SE = 0.0595, 95% CI [0.0846, 0.3160]. Conclusion: The results of this study present an intriguing profile suggesting that certain psychological factors, such as authoritative parenting and cognitive flexibility, may enhance children's to self-esteem development. This research offers valuable insights for parents, educators, policymakers, and future researchers regarding the significance of authoritative parenting and cognitive flexibility in shaping children's self-esteem.
Related Concept Videos
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative...
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Relationship with Parents: Attachment
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth....
Protecting Self-Esteem

