The Mediating Role of Parenting: How parental well-being and distress influence child behaviors

Authors

  • Agnes Maria Sumargi Faculty of Psychology Widya Mandala Surabaya Catholic University http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9440-3649
  • Eli Prasetyo Faculty of Psychology Widya Mandala Catholic University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12928/jehcp.v13i3.28634

Abstract

Children’s problem behaviors should be managed properly while their prosocial behaviors should be nurtured. As parents play a significant role in children’s lives, their well-being and psychological distress could influence children’s behavior through different mechanisms. This study investigated the roles of effective parenting (positive encouragement and parent-child relationship) and ineffective parenting (parental inconsistency and coercive parenting) in mediating the relationships between parental well-being and psychological distress, and children’s problem and prosocial behavior as reported by parents. One-hundred and seventy-three parents of primary school children completed a paper and pencil survey consisting relevant measures. Mediation analyses using PROCESS macros showed that parental well-being and psychological distress significantly influenced children’s problem behavior through effective and ineffective parenting, respectively. However, only parental well-being significantly influenced children’s prosocial behavior through effective parenting. The results highlight the importance of parental well-being, as it fosters positive parenting practices and promotes prosocial behavior in children.

 Keywords: child problem behaviors, child prosocial behaviors, parenting, psychological distress, parental well-being.

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Published

2024-08-29

Issue

VOL 13 NO 3 SEPTEMBER 2024

Section

Articles

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