Household Chaos and Preschool Migrant Children’s Self-Regulation: A Moderated Mediation Model

• In Event: Child Development and Interactions

Abstract

Household chaos significantly impacts children's self-regulation development, yet the specific mechanisms, particularly for migrant preschool children, remain underexplored. This study explores the impact of household chaos on self-regulation among 940 Chinese preschool migrant children, focusing on the mediating role of parent-child conflict and the moderating effect of mindful parenting. Results indicated that household chaos significantly diminished children's self-regulation (β = -0.16, p < 0.001), with parent-child conflict intensifying this effect (β = -0.43, p < 0.001). Additionally, while mindful parenting (β = -0.08, p < 0.01) mitigated the negative impact of conflict on self-regulation, its protective benefits decreased as the conflict escalated. This study provides valuable insights for both practice and further research in developmental psychology.

Authors

• Huihui Zhu, Northeast Normal University

• Lina Shu, Texas A&M University

• zhechuan XU, Zhejiang Normal University