Effects of Parenting Style on Self-Control among Children and Adolescents

The family is a crucial place for individual socialization. It is the earliest and lifelong environment closely connected to a person. Among various family factors, parenting style is the most significant factor influencing the development of individual self-control ability. Self-control, as a concentrated manifestation of human consciousness and subjective initiative, is essential for individuals to complete tasks, coordinate relationships, and successfully adapt to society. A child’s self-control ability is crucial for their life and future development. Through parenting style, children learn how to manage emotions, control impulses, set goals, and persevere, all essential components of self-control. Therefore, choosing the right parenting style to cultivate a child’s good self-control ability is an important research direction. This paper aims to explore the relationship between parenting style and self-control ability, revealing the correct parenting style that can shape good self-control abilities. Additionally, with the widespread use and development of technology, children’s smartphone dependency has become a perplexing issue for most parents. Hence, this study also investigates the role of self-control as a mediator between parenting style and smartphone dependency. To achieve the research goals, this study employs interdisciplinary research methods such as psychology and education for co-analysis. The study finds that different parenting styles have different shaping effects on self-control abilities. Self-control plays a significant mediating role between parenting style and problematic behaviors.