The effects of authoritative parenting style on young adult children’s prosocial behaviour: the mediating role of emotion-regulation

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aims to examine how the authoritative parenting style influences young adult children’s prosocial behaviour through self-regulation (i.e. cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression). Using survey data collected from Chinese young adults (N = 307), 19 to 25 years old, we conducted regression and bootstrap analyses. The results revealed that the authoritative parenting style was associated with cognitive reappraisal and prosocial behaviour but not expressive suppression. Also, cognitive reappraisal correlated to prosocial behaviour and had a partial mediation between authoritative parenting and prosocial behaviour. Implications for social work and social policies are also discussed.