Psychological Development and Education ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (4): 478-489.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2026.04.03

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The Effect of Paternal and Maternal Parenting on Social Adjustment among Preschool Children: The Role of Sibling Relationships

WU Zhongling1, CHEN Liang2,3   

  1. 1. Faculty of Education, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014;
    2. Faculty of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014;
    3. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Science and Mental Health, Jinan 250014
  • Published:2026-07-04

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Abstract: Against the backdrop of the comprehensive two-child policy, the present study aimed to explore the effects of paternal and maternal parenting on the social development of preschool children, as well as the potential role of sibling relationships. A follow-up survey was conducted among 352 families of preschool children. In this study, the Child-Rearing Practices Report, Child Behavior Checklist, Social Skills Improvement System-Rating Scales, and Sibling Relationship Scale were utilized to assess parenting practices, problem behaviors, social skills, and sibling relationships, respectively. The results were as follows: (1) Sibling warmth mediated the relationships between maternal and paternal positive parenting and both children’s social skills and problem behaviors; (2) Sibling conflict mediated the relationship between maternal and paternal negative parenting and children’s problem behaviors, but not their social skills; (3) Maternal positive parenting directly predicted children’s social skills, whereas paternal positive parenting showed no significant predictive effect. The present study further revealed the underlying mechanisms linking paternal and maternal positive parenting to social adjustment among preschool children. Specific practical implications and directions for future research were discussed.

Key words: paternal parenting, maternal parenting, sibling relationships, social skills, problem behaviors

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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