The mediating role of negative parenting styles between maternal depression and young children’s emotional competence in China: a multi-group analysis of gender and sole status

Maternal depression impairs young children's emotional development both directly and indirectly through negative parenting styles,with the strength of these effects varying by child gender and family structure.This study suggests that it is essential to strengthen attention to maternal mental health by utilizing community support and psychological counseling to promptly alleviate depressive emotions,thereby reducing the occurrence of negative parenting behaviors at the source.Additionally,targeted parent education programs should be implemented to guide parents in mastering scientific parenting methods,creating a more favorable emotional development environment for vulnerable groups such as boys and only children.