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The Relationship between parental emotional support and geospatial thinking ability: a moderated mediating model
LingXuan Wang1, Li Liu1, Xue Meng1,2
1School of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Frontiers in Psychology
|June 5, 2026
Summary
Parental emotional support boosts high school students' spatial thinking skills. Geographic self-efficacy acts as a bridge, while single-parent families and female students show unique influences.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Spatial Cognition
Background:
- Parental emotional support is crucial for adolescent development.
- Spatial thinking ability is vital for STEM fields and everyday problem-solving.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of parental emotional support on high school students' spatial thinking ability.
- To examine the mediating role of geographic self-efficacy.
- To explore the moderating effects of family structure and gender.
Main Methods:
- Quantitative survey assessing parental emotional support, geographic self-efficacy, and geospatial thinking ability.
- Statistical analysis to determine mediation and moderation effects.
Main Results:
- Parental emotional support positively correlates with geospatial thinking ability.
- Geographic self-efficacy mediates this relationship.
- Single-parent families showed a weaker positive influence; female students exhibited a positive moderating effect.
Conclusions:
- Parental emotional support is a significant factor in developing students' spatial thinking.
- Interventions should consider family structure and gender dynamics.
- Encouraging emotional support, especially in single-parent households, can enhance spatial skills.
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