Longitudinal links among parent-child attachment, emotion parenting, and problem behaviors of preadolescents

Both parent-child attachment and emotion parenting have been shown to affect child problem behaviors in previous research. However, it is unclear whether and how problem behaviors in turn influence these two family factors in preadolescence, a transition from late childhood to early adolescence. Using a three-wave longitudinal design, the present study examined reciprocal relations among parent-child attachment, emotion parenting, and problem behaviors of preadolescents. Participants included 324 Chinese fourth- to fifth- grade students (50.60% males, Mage = 10.68 years old, SD = 0.59). Two cross-lagged models were conducted first to test the unique link between each parental indicator and problem behaviors. Reciprocal links were found between parent-child attachment and problem behaviors, as well as between emotion parenting and problem behaviors. Then a cascade model was used to test the joint link between two parental indicators and problem behaviors. Parent-child attachment was identified as a more stable predictor of emotion parenting than the reverse direction; and emotion parenting was shown as a key mediating factor in the effect of parent-child attachment on later problem behaviors, but not in the reverse direction. These findings expanded our knowledge about parent effect and child effect during preadolescence, and highlighted the importance of emotion parenting and including both the parent and the child in intervention programs aiming to reduce problem behaviors.