Effects of mother-offspring and father-offspring dynamics on emerging adults’ adjustment: The mediating role of emotion regulation

Abstract

The present study tested a theoretical model of emotion regulation between parent-offspring dynamics and emerging adults’ adjustment. The mediating role of emotion regulation strategies, including cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression, were investigated for the effects of mother-offspring and father-offspring dynamics on emerging adults’ adjustment. A sample of 352 Chinese emerging adults in Hong Kong (230 female, 121 male) participated in this study. Participants were asked to complete a set of self-reported questionnaires. Findings based on structural equation modeling indicated that greater mother-offspring intimacy and father-offspring intimacy predicted emerging adults’ better cognitive reappraisal and psychological, social, and general health. Greater mother-offspring conflict also predicted more expressive suppression and poorer psychological and social functioning. Distinctive mediation pathways as a function of parents’ gender were identified. These findings enrich the literature for parent-offspring dynamics and emotion regulation as explanatory processes of emerging adults’ adjustment.

Developmental Stage-Specific Effects of Parenting on Adolescents’ Emotion Regulation: A Longitudinal Study From Infancy to Late Adolescence

“…Unexpectedly, we also found no stage-specific effects of parenting in late adolescence on adolescents' ER patterns. This finding differs from previous studies (Ruijten et al, 2011;Gresham and Gullone, 2012;Brenning et al, 2015;Cheung et al, 2019) that have shown parenting quality in adolescence to associate with adolescents' ER patterns. These differences might, in part, be explained by the fact that while our study focused on late adolescence, most previous studies have examined parenting and adolescents' ER patterns in early or middle adolescence (Ruijten et al, 2011;Gresham and Gullone, 2012;Gaté et al, 2013;Brenning et al, 2015).…”

“…In all models, we set the standardized path coefficients of maternal and paternal autonomy/intimacy at T3 on reappraisal to 0.13 and suppression and rumination to −0.13. The value of ± 0.13 was based on previous studies (Gresham and Gullone, 2012;Hilt et al, 2012;Brenning et al, 2015;Cheung et al, 2019) that have focused on the role of parenting in adolescents' ER patterns.…”

“…Empirical research confirms that parental autonomy and intimacy in adolescence are linked with adolescents' ER patterns. In cross-sectional studies, parental responsiveness and proximity have been associated with adolescents' greater reappraisal and less suppression (Gresham and Gullone, 2012;Cheung et al, 2019). Parental unresponsiveness and emotional detachment have, in turn, been linked with adolescents' greater rumination (Ruijten et al, 2011).…”

Sibling relationships and civic engagement: A longitudinal study of Chinese young adults

“…At Time 1, on a 5‐point scale, participants rated how much they felt close to their fathers and their mothers, separately (e.g., “How much do you seek out your father/mother for advice/support?”). The measure had been used to assess adult children's intimacy with their parents in prior studies (Cheung, Leung, Chan, & Lam, 2019; Whiteman, McHale, & Crouter, 2011). Cronbach's alphas were .92 and .91 for father–child and mother–child intimacy, respectively.…”

“…At Time 1, on a 6‐point scale, participants rated how often they had conflict with their fathers and their mothers, separately, in 12 aspects of life (e.g., “Household chores, such as keeping your room clean, doing the dishes”). The measure had been used to assess adult children's conflict with their parents in prior studies (Cheung et al, 2019; Doughty et al, 2015). Cronbach's alphas were .94 for both father–child and mother–child conflict.…”