Sex differences in how are mothers' SES related to late adolescents' emotional stability in China: the mediating role of maternal parenting styles

BACKGROUND: The impact of mothers' socioeconomic status (SES) on late adolescents' emotional stability, as well as the mechanisms underlying this relationship, remain poorly understood in China. Additionally, the mechanisms by which SES impacts emotional stability may need investigated separately for the male and female adolescents.

METHOD: This study conducted a snowball sampling and invited undergraduates to complete a survey via online. A sample of 445 Chinese undergraduate students (229 males, age range of 18-25 years) completed questionnaires concerning their mothers' monthly income and educational levels, emotional stability, and maternal parenting styles. Independent samples t-test, correlation analyses and regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS: The findings suggested the levels of emotional stability in female students were significantly lower than those of male students. Mothers' SES was related to late adolescents' emotional stability significantly. Moreover, maternal parenting styles (emotional warmth, punishment, overprotection, and rejection) significantly mediated the relationship between mothers' SES and late adolescents' emotional stability. Additionally, the particular features of these relationships varied according to the sex of the late adolescents. For the male students, maternal parenting styles could not significantly serve as mediating roles. For the female adolescents, the effect of maternal SES on emotional stability was partially mediated by four separate pathways: (1) maternal emotional warmth, (2) maternal punishment, (3) maternal overprotection, and (4) maternal rejection. These findings provide crucial practical implications for identification, prevention, and intervention efforts in late adolescents' emotional stability across sex.

CONCLUSION: This study sheds light on the relationship between mothers' SES and late adolescents' emotional stability, and the indirect effects of maternal emotional warmth, punishment, overprotection, and rejection serving as mediating roles. Maternal parenting styles had a higher effect on the emotional stability in female adolescents than male adolescents. This also provides crucial practical implications for identifying, preventing, and intervening in late adolescent emotional stability, which may differ between female and male adolescents.