Mediating effect of parental harsh discipline on the relationship between parental marital satisfaction and children’s life satisfaction in China

Yang, Liying; Liu, Shifan; Wang, Meifang; Fu, Cong

doi:10.1007/s12144-021-02678-4

Cited by 6 publications

(21 citation statements)

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“…Previous studies have also revealed that children living in a single-parent family reported more harsh parenting and witnessing parental conflict [ 11 ]. Mothers often play the role of the major caregiver and spend more time with their children than fathers [ 23 ]. Children from single-mother households may also exhibit more externally delinquent behaviors due to high levels of stress in the home and the inability of the single mother to solve these problems on her own [ 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Children from single-mother households may also exhibit more externally delinquent behaviors due to high levels of stress in the home and the inability of the single mother to solve these problems on her own [ 19 ]. This gender difference could be explained by the fact that married mothers shoulder more childcare and housework, which could reduce their marital satisfaction [ 23 ]. These findings shed light on future methods of preventing harsh parenting, which could include ensuring that caregivers (especially single mothers) are better supported and connected.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family systems theory claims that families are organized in subsystems such as parent–child, marital, and sibling subsystems, which may all have specific effects on child development [ 23 ]. Child dysfunction and maladjustment often develop in the context of poor parent–child relationships or distressed marriages [ 24 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Family systems theory has also suggested that the impacts of subsystems on children are dynamic and multipath within the functioning of the whole family system [ 30 ]. For example, parents with higher marital satisfaction may more effectively manage their negative emotions and respond to children’s adverse behaviors, while parents who experience marital conflicts and dissatisfaction may be more irritable and rely on power-assertive techniques to manage children’s misbehaviors [ 23 , 31 ]. High marital satisfaction can be transmitted through family functioning; family functioning was positively predictive of a more harmonious family environment and higher life satisfaction for children [ 32 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the other hand, empirical research in Hong Kong found that lower marital satisfaction is associated with harsh parenting, and harsh parenting plays a moderating role in the relationship between mothers’ marital satisfaction and children’s externalizing behavioral problems [ 33 , 34 ]. Authoritarian parenting and parental control were also the core family factors that were negatively related to children’s life satisfaction [ 23 , 35 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

The Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Harsh Parenting and Family Conflict in Hong Kong

Chen

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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The violation of children’s right to a safe home environment is a major public health problem in need of serious attention. Evidence has been limited about the family characteristics that go with the co-occurrence of harsh parenting and family conflict. By using a representative community sample of Hong Kong families, this study aims to examine the prevalence and risk factors of harsh parenting and family conflict. This study was conducted using a secondary analysis obtained from the 2017 Hong Kong Family Survey with a sample size of 1926 respondents who have children. Results showed that participants’ ages are negatively related to the occurrence and co-occurrence of harsh parenting and/or family conflict. Married mothers reported less family conflict. Fathers with lower education levels reported more experiences of family violence. Mothers reporting a higher level of family satisfaction were less associated with harsh parenting. This study provides insights into the unique and shared familial elements that prevent harsh parenting and family conflict and help facilitate the development of effective intervention strategies for family violence co-occurrence. Family-based prevention for family violence may screen for the presence of harsh parenting and family conflict and take into consideration these signals to better support families in need.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

The Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Harsh Parenting and Family Conflict in Hong Kong

Chen

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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Does marital satisfaction predict children aggression? Insights from parents' and children's psychological distress

Wang,

Zhang,

2023

Child & Family Social Work

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Marital satisfaction is a key indicator of family members' life satisfaction and mental and physical health. Parents' marital functioning affects their children's development. Given the significant impacts of marital satisfaction on children's psychological and behavioural development, the influencing paths need to be explored. This study aims to extend prior research by examining the direct effect of marital satisfaction on children's aggression and the intermediary roles of parents' and children's psychological distress. Using multi‐stage cluster random sampling, a total of 971 children and their parents were recruited in Shaanxi Province in Mainland China. Self‐reported questionnaires regarding marital satisfaction, psychological distress and aggression were completed. Results showed no significant direct impact of marital satisfaction on children's aggression, but children's psychological distress mediated this link. Moreover, parents' and children's psychological distress served as sequential mediators in the nexus between marital satisfaction and children's aggression. It means that a chain mediating mechanism existed. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms may offer valuable insights that would aid policymakers and clinicians in designing effective prevention and interventions targeting children's behavioural problems.

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Parents' marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, and harsh discipline in China: A dyadic analysis

Wang,

Xie,

Yan

et al. 2023

Family Relations

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ObjectiveUsing actor–partner interdependence modeling, this study examined the dyadic associations of marital satisfaction and harsh discipline and the mediating role of self‐compassion.BackgroundHarsh discipline is a negative parenting style commonly used by parents, especially Chinese parents. This parenting approach has been reported by some researchers as harmful and universal. It is important to identify the causes and internal mechanisms supporting use of harsh discipline.MethodParticipants were 349 Chinese father–mother dyads with school‐age children (Mage of father = 35.4 years, SDage = 5.4 years; Mage of mother = 34.4 years, SDage = 4.9 years). Father and mother self‐reported their marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, and use of harsh discipline at three time points.ResultsThe results revealed that fathers' and mothers' marital satisfaction negatively predicted the fathers' and mothers' harsh discipline, respectively. However, fathers' and mothers' marital satisfaction did not significantly predict the mothers' and fathers' harsh discipline. Second, we also found that mothers' marital satisfaction positively predicted fathers' and mothers' self‐compassion, while fathers' marital satisfaction did not significantly predict the fathers' and mothers' self‐compassion. Finally, fathers' self‐compassion played a mediating role in the relationship between mothers' marital satisfaction and fathers' harsh discipline.ConclusionParents' marital satisfaction promotes the development of self‐compassion and reduces the use of harsh discipline.ImplicationsEnhancing parents' marital satisfaction may play a role in reducing parents' use of harsh discipline. The researchers highlight the importance of mothers' marital satisfaction in improving mothers' and fathers' self‐compassion, which may be an effective measure to mitigate fathers' harsh discipline.

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Mediating effect of parental harsh discipline on the relationship between parental marital satisfaction and children’s life satisfaction in China

Cited by 6 publications

References 73 publications

The Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Harsh Parenting and Family Conflict in Hong Kong

The Occurrence and Co-Occurrence of Harsh Parenting and Family Conflict in Hong Kong

Does marital satisfaction predict children aggression? Insights from parents' and children's psychological distress

Parents' marital satisfaction, self‐compassion, and harsh discipline in China: A dyadic analysis

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