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Parental Psychological Control and Children’s Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status

Author

Listed:
  • Weida Zhang

    (School of Education, Renmin University of China, 59 Zhongguancun Ave., Haidian District, Beijing 100872, China)

  • Guoliang Yu

    (School of Education, Renmin University of China, 59 Zhongguancun Ave., Haidian District, Beijing 100872, China)

  • Wangqian Fu

    (Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekouwai Ave., Haidian District, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Runqing Li

    (School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Weida Zhang & Guoliang Yu & Wangqian Fu & Runqing Li, 2022. "Parental Psychological Control and Children’s Prosocial Behavior: The Mediating Role of Social Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Socioeconomic Status," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:18:p:11691-:d:916807
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Daniel T. L. Shek & Xiaoqin Zhu, 2019. "Paternal and Maternal Influence on Delinquency among Early Adolescents in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-24, April.
    2. James Andreoni & Nikos Nikiforakis & Jan Stoop, 2021. "Higher socioeconomic status does not predict decreased prosocial behavior in a field experiment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    3. Qi Su & Alex McAvoy & Yoichiro Mori & Joshua B. Plotkin, 2022. "Evolution of prosocial behaviours in multilayer populations," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(3), pages 338-348, March.
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