Parenting style on the over-adaptation of secondary school students: a moderated mediation model of self-esteem and gender.

Background: Over-adaptation is defined as an individual's attempt to conform to the demands and expectations of the environment in a near-perfect form, and the effort to meet external expectations and demands, even if internal needs are forcibly suppressed. This phenomenon is particularly evident in collectivist cultural contexts influenced by Confucian values, where harmonious interpersonal relationships are frequently prioritized over individual autonomy. In China, specifically, cultural norms such as filial piety and a strong emphasis on academic achievement in family education contribute significantly to adolescents' vulnerability to over-adaptation during identity formation. This study investigates the impact of Chinese parenting styles on adolescents' over-adaptation.

Methods: A sample of 759 secondary school students (M_age = 13.96 years, SD_age = 0.99) from Jiangsu Province in China was selected using whole-group sampling. Data were collected using the EMBU Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the Over-adaptation Scale. Analyses used Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 4/7) with bootstrapping.

Results: Firstly, negative parenting (rejection, punishment, etc.) was a significant positive predictor of over-adaptation (β_father = 0.22, p < .001;β_mother = 0.25, p < .001), while positive parenting (emotional warmth) significantly and negatively predicted over-adaptation (β_father = -0.09, p < .05; β_mother = -0.09, p < .05). Secondly, self-esteem partially mediated the relationship between negative parenting and over-adaptation (β_father = -0.31, p < .001, indirect effect = 0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.07]; β_mother = -0.30, p < .001, indirect effect = 0.05, 95% CI [0.02, 0.08]), and appeared to fully mediate the relationship between positive parenting and over-adaptation (β_father = -0.35, p < .001, indirect effect = -0.13, 95% CI [-0.19,- 0.09]; β_mother = -0.36, p < .001, indirect effect = -0.14, 95% CI [-0.20, - 0.10]). Furthermore, significant gender differences existed in the initial mediation stage of the relationship "positive parenting → self-esteem → over-adaptation" (β_{Fathers' positive parenting×Gender} = 0.16, p < .001, 95% CI [0.08, 0.23]; β_{Mothers' positive parenting×Gender} = 0.11, p < .01, 95% CI [0.05, 0.18]). Compared to boys, girls demonstrated a stronger positive association between parental positive parenting (from both fathers and mothers) and their self-esteem, which subsequently influenced their levels of over-adaptation.

Conclusions: This study enhances understanding of how parenting styles influence over-adaptation and provides actionable guidance for parents, such as replacing punitive discipline with autonomy-supportive communication (e.g., collaborative problem-solving) to mitigate over-adaptation risks.