Mediating Effect of the Parent–Child Relationship on the Association Between Maternal Nurturance and Early Child Development: A Longitudinal Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Research on the specific pathways from maternal nurturance to early child development remains limited. Grounded in transactional theory, this study is the first to examine these pathways through the parent–child relationship.
Methods: This longitudinal study involved mothers of children aged 1– 3 years. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, Comprehensive General Parenting Questionnaire, and Child-Parent Relationship Scale were collected at Time 1, when children were 1 year old. At Time 2, when children were 3 years old, Caregiver-Reported Early Development Instruments were measured. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore direct and indirect pathways from maternal nurturance to early child development.
Results: A total of 1145 mother-child dyads participated, with children averaging 32 months (SD = 6.4) and mothers averaging 28.7 years (SD = 4.0). Maternal nurturance had significant direct (β = 0.271), indirect (β = 0.065), and total (β = 0.336) effects on early child development. Direct effects accounted for 80.7% of the total effects, while indirect effects accounted for 19.3%. Maternal nurturance indirectly predicted higher early child development through increased parent–child closeness (β = 0.048), explaining 14.3% of the total effects. Maternal nurturance indirectly promoted early child development through reduced parent–child conflict (β = 0.017), explaining 5.1% of the total effects.
Conclusion: The novelty of this study lies in its demonstration of the mediating role of the parent–child relationship in the effect of maternal nurturance on early child development. This longitudinal study provides insights for governments agencies, policymakers, and healthcare workers to develop intervention programs that enhance maternal nurturance through the parent–child relationship to promote early child development.