The relation between intensive parenting attitude and preschoolers’ social–emotional competence: the chain mediating role of family functioning and psychological resilience

Introduction: Social-emotional competence is crucial for preschoolers' development. While previous research has emphasized the importance of parenting styles, little attention has been paid to how multidimensional intensive parenting attitudes and interaction between individuals and families jointly promote the development of social-emotional competence. Grounded in social-ecological systems Theory, the present study investigated the association between intensive parenting attitude and preschoolers' social-emotional competence, with particular attention to the chain-mediated role of family functioning and psychological resilience. Methods: A total of 2,174 preschoolers aged 3 to 6 years from four provinces in China were assessed through parent-report questionnaires using standardized scales: the Intensive Parenting Attitudes Questionnaire, the Chinese Inventory of Children's Social-emotional Competence, the Family Functioning Assessment Scale, and the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment for Preschoolers. Results: Regression-based chain mediating analyses revealed that: (1) three dimensions of essentialism, challenge, and child-centered within intensive parenting attitudes negatively predict preschoolers' social-emotional competence, while the two dimensions of fulfillment and stimulation within intensive parenting attitudes positively predict preschoolers' social-emotional competence; (2) family functioning and psychological resilience mediated the link between intensive parenting attitudes and social-emotional competence, respectively; and (3) family functioning and psychological resilience acted as a sequential mediating chain linking intensive parenting to preschoolers' social-emotional competence. Discussion: These findings highlight that parents should appropriately adjust the intensity of their parenting to foster a supportive family environment for preschoolers' social-emotional growth and nurture their psychological resilience; teachers and related mental health workers should work in synergy with families in preschoolers' social-emotional competence, and prioritize family-oriented nurturing and intervention measures.