Effects of Maternal Parenting, Self-Esteem and Emotion Regulation Strategy on Emotion Regulation of Children

This study examined the effects of maternal parenting, children`s self-esteem and emotion regulation strategy on emotion regulation. Data were collected from 493 5th and 6th graders. The results were as follows: Firstly, maternal authoritarian and permissive parenting directly affected children`s maladaptive emotion regulation, while maternal affectionate and permissive parenting directly affected children`s adaptive emotion regulation. Secondly, children`s self-esteem directly affected both their maladaptive and adaptive emotion regulation, while also acting as a mediator between maternal parenting and children`s maladaptive and adaptive emotion regulation. Children`s cognitive reappraiser strategy positively affected adaptive emotion regulation, but emotion suppressive strategy negatively affected adaptive emotion regulation. These emotion regulation strategies played a mediating role between maternal parenting or children`s self-esteem and adaptive emotion regulation.