Exploring the Relationship between Turkish Mothers’ Parenting and Psychological Well-Being in Early Childhood: The Role of Child Emotion Regulation and Dysregulation

Abstract

Although the importance of psychological well-being in early childhood is emphasized, the number of studies conducted with children and adolescents in this field is less than those carried out with adults. The present study aimed to explore the role of child emotion regulation in the relationship between parenting and psychological well-being among a sample of Turkish preschoolers aged 5–6. It further examines the mediating role of emotion regulation. The sample consisted of 416 mothers with children aged 5–6 (Mage = 5.38, SD = 0.48; 50% girls-boys). We collected the data using the Multidimensional Assessment of Parenting Scale (MAPS), the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC), and the Psychological Well-Being Scale for Children (PWBS-C). The findings revealed significant relationships among parenting practices (positive/negative), the child’s emotion regulation/dysregulation, and the child’s psychological well-being. Moreover, the findings revealed that positive parenting, directly and indirectly, affects children’s psychological well-being through children’s emotion regulation. On the other hand, findings disclosed that negative parenting has both a direct and indirect impact on children’s psychological well-being through children’s emotion regulation. Overall, the study may shed light on a possible process in which positive parenting boosts a child’s emotional regulation and psychological well-being among preschoolers.

Keywords

• early childhood
• psychological well-being
• emotion regulation
• parenting