Parental Psychological Control and Children’s Prosocial Behavior

The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status

Bibliographic Data

ID15470583
AuthorsWeida Zhang (0000-0003-3523-9022, Renmin University of China), Guoliang Yu (0009-0007-1575-2394, Renmin University of China), Wenbin Fu (0000-0002-6117-5547, Beijing Normal University, corresponding author), Wangqian Fu (Beijing Normal University), Runqing Li (0000-0003-3822-3966, Shandong University)
Year2022
Volume19
Issue18
Pages11691-11691
Publication date2022-09-16
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph191811691
PMID36141960
OpenAlexW4296353271
LanguageEN
Citations received13
References cited50

Complementing internalizing and externalizing developmental outcomes of parental psychological control, in this study, we shift the focus to children's prosocial behaviors. Drawing on self-determination theory and problem-behavior theory, this study addresses the relationship between parental psychological control, social anxiety, socioeconomic status (SES), and children's prosocial behavior. The parental psychological control scale, social anxiety scale for children, and prosocial behavior were applied in the study. Participants were 1202 elementary school-age children in China. The present study showed that parental psychological control was negatively associated with prosocial behavior and social anxiety played a partial mediating role between parental psychological control and prosocial behavior. Meanwhile, SES moderated the relationship between parental psychological control and prosocial behavior. The effect of parental psychological control on prosocial behavior was more significant among students with low levels of SES than the higher ones. The findings showed that parenting plays an essential role in the development of children's prosociality

Anxiety · Developmental psychology · Parenting styles · Population · Prosocial behavior · Psychological control · Social anxiety · Socioeconomic status · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Clinical Psychology · Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports · Perfectionism, Procrastination, Anxiety Studies · Psychology