Linking Parenting Styles and Peer Relationships: The Serial Mediating Roles of Emotional Intelligence and Psychological Capital

Background: During the upper primary school years, children’s primary interpersonal relationships shift from parent-child interactions to peer relationships. This study investigated the underlying mechanisms between parenting styles and primary school students’ peer relationships, providing theoretical guidance for fostering harmonious peer interactions. Methods: A cluster sampling design was employed, yielding 702 valid responses from fifth and sixth-grade students. Measures included the Short-form Parenting Styles Scale, Peer Relationship Scale, Emotional Intelligence Scale, and Positive Psychological Capital Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 29, with serial mediation models examined via the PROCESS macro. Results: Positive parenting styles correlated positively with peer relationships (r = 0.533, β = 0.521, p < 0.001), whereas negative parenting styles correlated negatively (r = −0.538, β = −0.528, p < 0.001). Serial mediation analysis revealed that emotional intelligence and psychological capital acted as sequential mediators. Specifically, this serial indirect effect accounted for 31.3% of the total indirect association in the relationship between positive parenting and peer relationships (β = 0.248, p < 0.001), and 27.5% in the relationship involving negative parenting styles (β = −0.176, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Parenting styles are significantly associated with peer relationships among primary school students. Parents should adopt warm, supportive styles and reduce rejecting or overprotective behaviors. Furthermore, educational interventions targeting children’s emotional intelligence and psychological capital are crucial pathways for enhancing harmonious peer interactions.