Father Marital Satisfaction and Child Social Adjustment: The Chain Mediating Effects of Family Cohesion and the Father-Child Relationship
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| Title: | Father Marital Satisfaction and Child Social Adjustment: The Chain Mediating Effects of Family Cohesion and the Father-Child Relationship |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lin Song (ORCID |
| Source: | Early Child Development and Care. 2025 195(5-6):529-547. |
| Availability: | Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 19 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Marital Satisfaction, Parent Child Relationship, Fathers, Child Development, Preschool Children, Family Relationship, Social Adjustment, Correlation, Foreign Countries, Behavior Problems, Child Behavior |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Family Adaptability Cohesion Evaluation Scales, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire |
| DOI: | 10.1080/03004430.2025.2517695 |
| ISSN: | 0300-4430 1476-8275 |
| Abstract: | Parental marital satisfaction is strongly associated with children's developmental outcomes. This study examined how family cohesion and the father-child relationship mediated the association between fathers' marital satisfaction and children's social adjustment. Participants included 980 families from 11 kindergartens across seven Chinese provinces. Cross-sectional data were collected using validated measures, with fathers reporting marital satisfaction and father-child relationships, and mothers reporting family cohesion and child social adjustment. Correlation analysis revealed a significant association between father marital satisfaction and child social adjustment; however, path analysis showed the direct path was non-significant within the chain mediation model. Instead, family cohesion and the father-child relationship independently and sequentially mediated this relationship. By analysing the effect of fathers' marital satisfaction on children's social adjustment from the perspective of the family system with multi-level subsystems, this study enriches research on fatherhood, highlights nuanced mediational mechanisms, and provides contextual insights into children's social development. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1503496 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Parental marital satisfaction is strongly associated with children's developmental outcomes. This study examined how family cohesion and the father-child relationship mediated the association between fathers' marital satisfaction and children's social adjustment. Participants included 980 families from 11 kindergartens across seven Chinese provinces. Cross-sectional data were collected using validated measures, with fathers reporting marital satisfaction and father-child relationships, and mothers reporting family cohesion and child social adjustment. Correlation analysis revealed a significant association between father marital satisfaction and child social adjustment; however, path analysis showed the direct path was non-significant within the chain mediation model. Instead, family cohesion and the father-child relationship independently and sequentially mediated this relationship. By analysing the effect of fathers' marital satisfaction on children's social adjustment from the perspective of the family system with multi-level subsystems, this study enriches research on fatherhood, highlights nuanced mediational mechanisms, and provides contextual insights into children's social development. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0300-4430 1476-8275 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/03004430.2025.2517695 |
