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The association between parental involvement in developmental advance and mental health in Chinese preschoolers: a

Yan Li1, Hongli Sun2, Jiahua Liu3

  • 1School of Economics and Management, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China.

Frontiers in Public Health
|February 16, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Parental involvement in developmental advance (PIDA) positively impacts kindergarten children's mental health, reducing difficulties and increasing prosocial behavior. However, excessive PIDA can be detrimental, underscoring the need for balanced engagement.

Area of Science:

  • Child Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Parental involvement significantly influences early childhood development and mental well-being.
  • Understanding the nuances of parental engagement is crucial for optimizing children's socio-emotional and cognitive growth.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between Parental Involvement in Developmental Advance (PIDA) and mental health outcomes in Chinese kindergarten children.
  • To assess the relationship between parental teaching activities and children's emotional and behavioral adjustments.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 21,366 children aged 3-6 years from 189 kindergartens in western China.
  • Parental involvement was measured using the StimQ Scale, assessing engagement in literacy and math/spatial activities.
  • Children's mental health was evaluated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), measuring total difficulties and prosocial behavior.

Main Results:

  • Increased PIDA was associated with a 2% lower risk of total difficulties (OR=0.98) and a 4% higher likelihood of prosocial behavior (OR=1.04).
  • Optimal benefits were observed at PIDA scores of 12 for total difficulties and 11 for prosocial behavior.
  • Excessive PIDA (scores >12) increased total difficulties risk by 18% (OR=1.18) and reduced prosocial behavior by 2% (OR=0.98), with stronger effects in lower socioeconomic status families.

Conclusions:

  • Balanced parental involvement is key to enhancing children's mental health, reducing behavioral difficulties, and promoting prosocial behavior.
  • Excessive parental engagement can negatively impact child mental health, necessitating tailored interventions.
  • Optimizing early childhood mental health requires a balanced approach to parental involvement, considering socioeconomic and educational factors.
Abstract

Keywords:
StimQ scalechild mental healthnon-linear relationshipparental involvementstrengths and difficulties questionnaire

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