Testing the mediating role of self-esteem on the relationship between parenting styles and subjective well-being of adolescents

This study examines the complex interplay between parenting styles, self-esteem, and subjective well-being among impoverished adolescents in China, a demographic often marginalized in psycho-social research. Given the heightened vulnerability of this population to emotional and developmental challenges, understanding these dynamics is essential for designing effective interventions that address both economic hardship and psychological deprivation. Drawing on a sample of 1,262 adolescents from low-income urban and rural families in Q city, the research employs structural equation modeling to investigate how parenting practices influence well-being, with self-esteem as a mediating variable. Contrary to conventional findings in general adolescent populations, the results reveal that nurturing parenting styles (e.g., emotional support and encouragement) negatively correlate with subjective well-being in this disadvantaged group(β=-0.144, p<0.01), while stricter parental control demonstrates a paradoxical positive effect. This suggests that material deprivation may alter the psycho-social dynamics of parent-child interactions, where emotional support alone fails to compensate for unmet basic needs.Self-esteem emerges as a robust predictor of well-being (β=0.368, p < 0.001), aligning with prior studies. Notably, it partially mediates the relationship between parenting styles and well-being, accounting for 66.1% of the variance in the model. This mediation effect underscores self-esteem's role as a psychological buffer against socioeconomic adversity. The study also highlights demographic nuances: rural adolescents and those with prolonged exposure to poverty exhibit distinct patterns in how parenting and self-esteem interact to shape well-being.These findings challenge universal assumptions about parenting efficacy and advocate for context-sensitive interventions. Practically, the results advocate for policies that combine financial aid with targeted parenting guidance and self-esteem-building initiatives. This research contributes to the existing literature by revealing the unique psycho-social mechanisms linking parenting practices to well-being in poverty-affected adolescents and emphasizing the importance of integrated, multi-level policies that simultaneously address economic disadvantages and emotional development needs.