Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
2.6
2.5
Journals
Behavioral Sciences
Special Issues
Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents
share announcement

Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 12284

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiaochun Xie

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Psychology, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
Interests: parenting, children and adolescent social development; cyberpsychology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fengqing Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: parenting; children and adolescent mental health; positive psychology; interventions based on Satir family therapy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is well known that family and parenting are very important for children and adolescent development. Supportive parenting provides a warm paradise for children's development, while harsh parenting will lead to numerous disadvantageous consequences. In addition to traditional parenting activities, some emerging parenting activities (e.g., helicopter parenting) and parenting activities with media usage (e.g., parental phubbing) also attract much attention. Hence, this Special Issue titled “Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents” aims to gather high-quality research to address how parenting influences positive development for children and adolescents (age range: 3–18 years). In addition, studies that focus on the interactions of family and some significant micro-system elements (e.g., peer, friend, school, and teacher) and studies that show an interest in child-driven effects (how children’s activities influence parenting activities) are also welcome. In this Special Issue, positive development is a general term that includes (but is not limited to) mental health, physical health, and positive performance on cognitive development, personality, school education, social relationships, and characteristic advantages. The chosen methodology should encompass various approaches, including but not limited to cross-sectional design with a substantial sample size or parent-child dyadic data. Additionally, including longitudinal investigation and experimentation, as well as the classical quantitative approach, is recommended. Furthermore, integrating high-quality qualitative research methods such as interviews and interventions is highly encouraged. Research endeavors that adopt a comprehensive perspective and employ a variety of methodologies will be given primary consideration. We hope this Special Issue will provide significant theoretical contributions and useful practical strategies.

Dr. Xiaochun Xie
Dr. Fengqing Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • parenting
  • children
  • adolescents
  • family
  • positive development
  • media
  • internet

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 413 KiB  
Article
The Measurement Model of Family Strengths for Generation Alpha in the Thai Context
by Kanchana Pattrawiwat, Pitchaya Nilrungratana, Anusara Deewai and Sudarat Tuntivivat
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(10), 921; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14100921 - 10 Oct 2024
Viewed by 322
Abstract
The concept of the Thai family has shifted from the traditional family to families of various forms, such as single-parent families, same-sex families, skipped-generation families, and one-person households, which affects not only mental health, but future relationships of the children. This research aimed [...] Read more.
The concept of the Thai family has shifted from the traditional family to families of various forms, such as single-parent families, same-sex families, skipped-generation families, and one-person households, which affects not only mental health, but future relationships of the children. This research aimed to analyze the factors that contribute to family strengths in the context of Generation Alpha and develop a measurement model tailored to a Thai context. The sample consisted of parents and caregivers of Generation Alpha, divided into two sections, with 521 participants for exploratory factor analysis and 508 participants for confirmatory factor analysis. Using stratified random sampling, data were collected via questionnaires distributed across four regions of Thailand. The discrimination index ranged from 0.280–0.896, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.952. The results revealed a measurement model consisting of five key factors contributing to family strengths. The factor with the highest score was positive relationships, with a factor loading of 0.92. Additional factors included technology and media literacy, parental roles, good attributes, and mental immunity, with a factor loading of 0.80, 0.74, 0.55, and 0.44, respectively. The measurement model of family strengths for Generation Alpha in the Thai context was found to be consistent with the empirical data. These findings suggest that understanding these family strengths can significantly enhance the well-being of both Generation Alpha and their family members. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 567 KiB  
Article
Mothers’ Mental State Talk and 3- to 5-Year-Old Children’s Theory of Mind: Their Reciprocal Dynamic Impact
by Hang Liu, Fan Wu, Siying Li and Haiting Zhang
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 568; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070568 - 5 Jul 2024
Viewed by 713
Abstract
The development of children’s social function is influenced by the social environment, and children also play an active role in shaping and nurturing this environment. The present study investigated the potential reciprocal dynamic impact of mothers’ mental state talk (MST) and the development [...] Read more.
The development of children’s social function is influenced by the social environment, and children also play an active role in shaping and nurturing this environment. The present study investigated the potential reciprocal dynamic impact of mothers’ mental state talk (MST) and the development of theory of mind (ToM) in children. Using a cross-sectional design, we explored the development of ToM in 3- to 5-year-old children using an unexpected location task, an unexpected content task, an appearance–reality task, and mothers’ MST during mother–child reading. The results showed the following: (1) the mothers’ MST exhibited a shift from a predilection for subjective terms (such as desires) to a preference for objective terms (such as cognitions) as their children matured; (2) the development of the children’s ToM was closely related to their mothers’ MST. The overall MST scores, as well as the different categories and referents used in MST, were closely associated with the children’s ToM development. Notably, at the age of four, a critical period emerged where the correlation between maternal MST and ToM became significantly pronounced. These findings highlight the reciprocal nature of mother–child interactions as a two-way adaptive process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 1743 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Parenting Behaviors and Adolescent Well-Being Varies with the Consistency of Parent–Adolescent Cultural Orientation
by Tixiang Yang, Xiaosong Gai, Su Wang and Stanley Gai
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030193 - 28 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2025
Abstract
To evaluate the limitations of the traditional parenting model in the cultural transition period, this study investigated the relationship between parenting behaviors and adolescents’ well-being, in which the moderating role of consistency in parent–adolescent cultural orientation was also investigated. Six hundred forty-four parent–adolescent [...] Read more.
To evaluate the limitations of the traditional parenting model in the cultural transition period, this study investigated the relationship between parenting behaviors and adolescents’ well-being, in which the moderating role of consistency in parent–adolescent cultural orientation was also investigated. Six hundred forty-four parent–adolescent dyads completed self-report surveys. Parents completed the cultural orientation questionnaire (parental version), and adolescents completed the cultural orientation questionnaire (adolescent version), the adolescent-perceived parenting behavior scale, the adolescent basic psychological needs scale, and the adolescent well-being questionnaire. The findings were as follows: (1) Adolescent-perceived parental autonomy support positively predicted the satisfaction of adolescents’ basic psychological needs, thereby enhancing adolescents’ well-being levels. Conversely, adolescent-perceived parental control significantly predicted the frustration of adolescents’ basic psychological needs, thereby reducing their well-being levels. (2) When both parents and adolescents share a collectivistic cultural orientation, high parental control significantly frustrated adolescents’ basic psychological needs, but it did not negatively affect their well-being. However, when parents are collectivists but adolescents are individualists, high parental control would significantly induce the frustration of basic psychological needs, thus further impairing adolescents’ well-being. The results revealed that differences in cultural orientations between generations during cultural transition periods moderate the effects of parenting behaviors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 737 KiB  
Article
Parental Burnout, Negative Parenting Style, and Adolescents’ Development
by Xingchen Guo, Chenyu Hao, Wei Wang and Yongxin Li
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14030161 - 22 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2776
Abstract
Research on parental burnout has focused more on its antecedents than on its consequences. Burned-out parents may experience a series of behavioral changes, negatively affecting their children’s physical and mental development. This study examined the effects of primary caregivers’ parental burnout on adolescents’ [...] Read more.
Research on parental burnout has focused more on its antecedents than on its consequences. Burned-out parents may experience a series of behavioral changes, negatively affecting their children’s physical and mental development. This study examined the effects of primary caregivers’ parental burnout on adolescents’ development and the mediating role of negative parenting styles. This study used a time-lagged design, and data were collected at three different time points. Adolescents were asked to identify their primary caregivers, and parents were asked whether they were the primary caregivers of their children. Thereafter, paired data from the children and primary caregivers were collected. A total of 317 junior middle school students (178 boys, Mage = 14.20 ± 0.8 years) and primary caregivers (71 fathers, Mage = 42.20 ± 4.53 years) from Henan province participated. Primary caregivers’ parental burnout was positively associated with negative parenting styles, and negative parenting styles mediated the relationship between parental burnout and adolescent development. From the perspective of prevention-focused interventions, it is necessary to focus on preventing the occurrence of parental burnout. Further, parents should try to avoid using abusive behaviors toward their children and neglecting them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 774 KiB  
Article
Gendered Parenting: Maternal Son Preference and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Early Adolescents
by Fengqing Zhao, Yinge Wang, Yudan Li, Huifang Zhang, Sen Li, Zhongjie Wang and Jie Hou
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 104; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14020104 - 31 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1307
Abstract
This study focused on the nuanced phenomenon of gendered parenting by exploring how maternal son preference is associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents. Focusing on 1093 junior high school students from a relatively affluent city in Western China, this study examined [...] Read more.
This study focused on the nuanced phenomenon of gendered parenting by exploring how maternal son preference is associated with depressive symptoms among Chinese early adolescents. Focusing on 1093 junior high school students from a relatively affluent city in Western China, this study examined the mediating roles of mother–child attachment and father–child attachment as well as the moderating role of school connectedness in the relationship between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms. The results revealed a noteworthy positive correlation between maternal son preference and depressive symptoms among female adolescents, with no significant association observed in males. In addition, mother–child attachment and father–child attachment mediated the relationship between maternal son preference and girls’ depressive symptoms, supporting the “spillover effect” and “crossover effect”. Moreover, a moderation effect analysis indicated that a higher level of school connectedness can buffer the effect of maternal son preference on girls’ depressive symptoms, while a lower level of school connectedness can enhance the effect of maternal son preference on girls’ depressive symptoms. In addition, maternal son preference was negatively correlated with boys’ depressive symptoms in relation to high school connectedness. These insights help enhance people’s understanding of gendered parenting, emphasizing the enduring necessity of addressing son preference within the broader context of promoting gender equality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 699 KiB  
Article
Bidirectional Relationship between Positive Parenting Behavior and Children’s Self-Regulation: A Three-Wave Longitudinal Study
by Su Wang and Xiaosong Gai
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010038 - 5 Jan 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2083
Abstract
In this study, we used a cross-lagged design to explore the relationship between children’s self-regulation and positive parenting behaviors. Children aged 3 years (N = 84) were tested individually three times a year for their hot and cool self-regulation, while their parents’ positive [...] Read more.
In this study, we used a cross-lagged design to explore the relationship between children’s self-regulation and positive parenting behaviors. Children aged 3 years (N = 84) were tested individually three times a year for their hot and cool self-regulation, while their parents’ positive parenting behaviors (warmth, structure, and autonomy support) were collected through questionnaires. In the structural equation panel model, bidirectional relations between children’s inhibitory control and parental positive parenting were found. Children’s inhibitory control and positive parenting predicted changes in each other for the first six months. Such a reciprocal relationship also existed between parental autonomy support and children’s inhibitory control. There was a cross-lagged effect between parental warmth and children’ inhibitory control rather than a simultaneous relation. Children’s inhibitory control positively predicted parental structural behaviors rather than vice versa. Children’s delayed waiting and positive parenting (autonomy support) were only positively correlated, rather than having a lagging effect. All the relationships faded over time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Parenting and Positive Development for Children and Adolescents)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop