Warm and harsh parenting, self-kindness and self-judgment, adolescent well-being: An examination of developmental differences

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to examine the associations between warm and harsh parenting and adolescent well-being and the mediating effects of self-kindness and self-judgment in the relationships. Moreover, this study investigated different developmental across three adolescence stages (early, middle, and late). Methods Totally 14776 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 13.53 ± 2.08, 52.3% males) participated in this study. All adolescents rated the levels of warm parenting and harsh parenting, self-kindness and self-judgment, and well-being. Results Both warm and harsh parenting were related to adolescent well-being through the mediating effects of self-kindness and self-judgment. But warm parenting exerted a more substantial impact on adolescent well-being. Self-kindness demonstrated a more robust mediating effect compared to self-judgment in the relationships. Moreover, harsh parenting in late adolescence had a weaker impact on adolescent well-being than those in early and middle adolescence. Warm parenting had a more significant impact on adolescent well-being in early adolescence than in middle and late adolescence. Conclusions Overall, warm parenting had a more substantial effect on adolescent well-being than harsh parenting. The findings also highlighted the crucial mediating effect of self-kindness in the relationships between parenting and adolescent well-being. Moreover, this study also indicated the importance of warm parenting in early adolescence.