Characteristics Of Children’s Social-emotional Behaviors And Its Relationship With Mothers’ Parenting Sense Of Competence

Social-emotion refers to a series of behaviors that are required for an individual to interact positively with others and effectively regulate emotions.Early childhood is a critical period for the onset of emotional and behavioral problems.To prevent and intervene the occurrence of children’s social-emotional behavior problems,it is necessary to investigate characteristics of children’s social-emotional behaviors and its influencing factors.In this study,the Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional(ASQ:SE-2)was used to evaluate the characteristics of children’s social-emotional behaviors,the Ages & Stages Questionnaires(ASQ)was used to assess children’s general neuropsychological development,and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale(CPSOC)was used to assess mothers’ parenting sense of competence.Firstly,a small sample data of 375 children was used to investigate the characteristics of socialemotional behaviors and their general psychological development level.Secondly,a large sample data was used to explore characteristics of urban children’s socialemotional behaviors and its relationship with mothers’ parenting sense of competence.Based on the research results,some suggestions were put forward to prevent and intervene children’s social-emotional behavior problems and improve mothers’ parenting sense of competence.The results were as follows:(1)The small sample data showed that 36.53% of children with suspected delay in social-emotional behaviors,and 3.89% of children with suspected delay in general neuropsychological development.In the large sample data,the proportion of children with suspected delay in social-emotional behaviors was 24.04%.And the proportion in 3-year-old or 5-year-old group was higher than that in 4-year-old group.To be more specific,a higher proportion was found in boys compared with girls.And a higher proportion was found in low socioeconomic status group compared with medium and high socioeconomic status group.(2)There were three common social-emotional behavior problems(the proportion of people with 10/15 scores in the project exceeds 10%)in children: more active than children of the same age;the degree of attachment is greater than expected and being overly friendly to strangers.(3)Children’s social-emotional behaviors was correlated with mothers’ parenting sense of competence.Self-regulation,compliance,communication and interaction with people in children’s social-emotional behaviors could predict maternal selfefficacy significantly.Self-regulation,communication and autonomy in children’s social-emotional behaviors could predict maternal role satisfaction significantly.The suggestions were as follows:(1)called on parents to pay attention to the occurrence of their children’s social-emotional behavior problems,one in four children showed suspiciously delayed social-emotional behaviors,especially paid attention to the children aged 3 and 5,boys and low socioeconomic status group;(2)attached importance to and treated children’s common social-emotional behavior problems scientifically;(3)paid attention to the interaction between children’s socialemotional behaviors and mothers’ parenting sense of competence,and help mothers master the methods and strategies to improve their children’s social-emotional behaviors,so as to improve their parenting sense of competence.