Exploring the Links between Unsociability, Parenting Behaviors, and Socio-Emotional Functioning in Young Children in Suburban China

The aim of this study was to explore the moderating role of parenting behaviors (i.e., authoritative, authoritarian, protective, and maternal involvement) in the relations between unsociability and socio-emotional adjustment in a sample of young Chinese children. Participants were N = 487 children (283 boys, Mage = 58.88 months, SD = 10.23) attending preschool/kindergartens from suburban areas in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Mothers rated children’s unsociability and parenting behaviors, whereas teachers provided ratings of children’s socio-emotional functioning at school. Among the results, unsociability was positively associated with peer exclusion, asocial behavior, and anxious-fearful behavior. However, parenting behaviors significantly moderated these associations. Whereas authoritative parenting attenuated the relation between unsociability and peer exclusion (buffering effect), authoritarian parenting and protection each exacerbated the relations between unsociability and indices of socio-emotional difficulties. The current findings suggest that parenting behaviors may be instrumental in shaping young unsociable children’s socio-emotional adjustment. Our results also inform best practices for parenting strategies in response to unsociability in young Chinese children.